Germany is reportedly looking to acquire additional F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters as plans for development of the next-generation fighter (NGF) under the FCAS (Future Combat Air System) framework appear to be disintegrating.
Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, Germany announced the decision to procure 35 F-35 jets from the US in a $10.89 billion deal. The primary driver for Germany’s initial F-35 purchase was to replace its aging Tornado jets in NATO’s nuclear-sharing mission. The F-35 is the only Western fighter currently certified for this role.
A recent Reuters report, citing two informed sources, claimed that Germany is considering buying additional F-35 fighter jets from the US, thereby increasing Berlin’s reliance on US military technology.
One of the sources cited by the publication stated that Berlin was negotiating the purchase of over 35 additional jets, whereas the other source did not provide a number.
The claims, however, were quickly refuted by Germany. “There are no plans, and there is no decision,” a German government spokesperson said.
However, speculation that Germany was poised to expand its initial order for F-35A Lightning II jets has been circulating for months.
In June 2024, for instance, some sources said Germany was considering purchasing eight more F-35s. Similarly, in October 2025, a parliamentary source reportedly told Reuters that German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius intended to order an additional 15 F-35 fighters for about $2.9 billion.
Recently, another European country, Belgium, said it was considering acquiring 11 additional F-35A fifth-generation fighter jets. However, the Belgian Defence Minister stated that his country was seeking significant returns for the local industry.
“We want to make the F-35 as European as possible, and there are a lot of opportunities and possibilities” when it comes to securing an agreement on local supply chain financial gains, Theo Francken told Breaking Defense.
Interestingly, the reports of a potential German purchase of additional F-35s come amid a fractured transatlantic relationship between the European Union and the United States under Donald Trump’s administration. Last year, for example, some German defence analysts expressed fears that Trump could exploit the “kill switch” in the F-35 jets to advance US political interests at Germany’s expense.
It is pertinent to note that Germany’s interest in the F-35 comes as the FCAS program with France and Spain is faltering, and Berlin has indicated that it might seek another partner to develop a sixth-generation fighter jet.
Is FCAS Collapsing?
Envisioned as a ‘system of systems’ program that includes a next-generation fighter (NGF), adjunct aircraft, and a combat cloud, the FCAS has been delayed by several years and is appears to be on the brink of collapse due to the impasse between Airbus (representing Germany and Spain) and Dassault (representing France) over a host of issues, such as disputes over work sharing, control over the aircraft’s design, and choice of suppliers.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz signalled that Berlin could abandon the project, adding that Germany does not need the same new fighter jets as France, according to AFP News.
“The French need, in the next generation of fighter jets, an aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons and operating from an aircraft carrier,” Merz told the German podcast Machtwechsel. “That’s not what we currently need in the German military,” he said.
The statement comes days after he said the FCAS collaboration was certain to produce combined defence systems, although it was unclear whether the French-German-Spanish FCAS warplane initiative would result in collaborative aircraft.
“There will definitely be joint systems,” Merz said. “We are currently in intensive talks with France about the extent to which we will continue to develop and build joint aircraft, and I expect that we will reach a joint decision on this within the next few weeks.”
These repeated insinuations point towards the development of two different next-generation fighter jets, each led by France and Germany, respectively.
Responding to the latest comments, French President Emmanuel Macron’s office said that he “remains committed to the success” of the project.
“The military needs of the three participating states have not changed, and these needs included from the outset French [nuclear] deterrence as well as the other missions of the future aircraft,” the Elysee Palace said in a statement while Macron was travelling in India. “Given the strategic stakes for Europe, it would be incomprehensible if industrial differences could not be overcome, especially as we must collectively demonstrate unity and performance in all areas concerning its industry, technology, and defence.”
Industrial disputes have caused the 100-billion-euro ($118-billion) project, which was launched in 2017 to replace France’s Rafales and Eurofighters from 2040, to stagnate.
Dassault was in charge of the crewed NGF as part of the larger FCAS program, while Airbus was designated to lead stealth technology, new cloud capabilities, and the “loyal wingman” remote-carrier drone design. Safran, on the other hand, was creating a new jet engine for the fighter, while Indra, based in Spain, was working on the sensor systems.
The gridlock has been attributed to Dassault’s reluctance to share the NGF workload with its counterparts. Eric Trappier, the CEO of Dassault, stated in an interview last year that a partnership centred on work sharing might result in a less-than-ideal technological solution, adding that Dassault has decades of experience and the requisite skills to build entire fighter jets on its own.
However, Germany, represented by Airbus, has refused to give Dassault the greater share, which would favour the French contractor and leave German industry literally empty-handed.
While both Germany and France reportedly put pressure on industrial leaders Airbus and Dassault to find a solution to the troubled joint fighter jet project, a decision was indefinitely postponed at the end of December 2025.
Germany had earlier threatened to withdraw from the FCAS if the two sides failed to resolve the issues amicably. In fact, reports suggested that Berlin was looking for other partners to develop the next-generation fighter jet, with Sweden and Britain under consideration.
Against that backdrop, buying more F-35s at this point would allow Germany more time to select a partner for the development of the sixth-generation aircraft.
Expanding the F-35 fleet to around 70–85 aircraft would significantly upgrade the Luftwaffe with advanced stealth, sensor fusion, and electronic warfare capabilities that outmatch legacy platforms like the Eurofighter Typhoon in contested environments.
It would provide an immediate, off-the-shelf solution to address short-term airpower shortages, buying time (maybe even a decade) for Germany to resolve FCAS industrial rivalries or pursue alternatives for a sixth-generation fighter.
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