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Germany received its first F-35A Lightning II jet at a ceremony at Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth on Friday.<\/p>\n
The F-35s, which Germany signed for in 2022, will replace the country\u2019s current Tornado fleet. Though this is the country\u2019s first F-35, Holger Neumann, Chief of the German Air and Space Force, said it plans to receive \u201cmany, many\u201d more.<\/p>\n
Germany\u2019s order includes 35 F-35s. The first eight will go to Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas for pilot training this fall, and arrive in Germany in late 2027. The aircraft are expected to reach full operational capacity by 2029.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are strong. We are ready. We are united, and we will defend our security and our freedom,\u201d German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said, adding that the F-35 was the \u201cworld\u2019s most advanced combat aircraft.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Pistorius signed a Statement of Intent at the Pentagon that allows for joint development and production of defense hardware between German and U.S. companies.<\/p>\n
Several U.S. politicians were at the unveiling of the aircraft including Dan Zimmerman with the U.S. Department of War, White Settlement Mayor Faron Young and U.S. Representative Craig Goldman.<\/p>\n
Goldman called the addition of the fighter jets to the German military a \u201cgame changer\u201d for national security and German citizens. Zimmerman agreed and said the rollout marks a shared vision of defense between the U.S. and Germany.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs the security environment evolves, acquiring and fielding advanced capabilities is an operational necessity. And make no mistake: Germany is equal to the task, and is stepping up from forced modernization to defense spending. Germany has proven itself a model ally,\u201d Zimmerman said.<\/p>\n
About 25% of every F-35 is built in Europe. German defense contractor Rheinmetall has a 200 million Euro facility dedicated to manufacturing the center fuselage part of F-35s.<\/p>\n
Twenty countries utilize the F-35, with more than 1,350 in the fleet. By the 2030s, Lockheed Martin will have over 700 F-35s operating in Europe, said the company\u2019s Chief Operating Officer, Frank St. John.<\/p>\n
Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n