Germany to buy US-made F-35s to replace aging bombers

By FRANK JORDANS
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Germany says it will replace some of its aging Tornado bomber jets with U.S.-made F-35 Lightning II aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons. Germany’s air force commander, Ingo Gerhartz, said the war in Ukraine made it necessary to choose Lockheed Martin’s F-35s. Previously, the government had considered replacing the Luftwaffe’s Tornados with a mix of different U.S. and European-made aircraft. The German military does not have nuclear weapons of its own, but as part of the system of nuclear deterrence developed during the Cold War it maintained bombers capable of carrying U.S. atomic bombs, some of which are stationed in Germany. The opposition Left Party criticized the decision to purchase the F-35, but the move was welcomed by the United States.