Germany today received the first of the 35 fighter planes (huntings) that it ordered to the US during an event in the State of Texas at the place where these devices were produced.
© Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu via Getty Images
18/09/2026
by
Lusa
A Lockheed Martin “delivered to the German government the first F-35A Lightning II”, in Fort Worth, indicated the company, in a statement.
At the time, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius praised the apparatus, which he considered “the most advanced in the world”.
The F-35 has been developed in the US in partnership with NATO members. Its design and coating make it difficult to detect by radar.
Germany ordered these units in 2022, following the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation.
The US government has pressured its European partners to increase defence spending to allow it to focus on other challenges, particularly those relating to China.
Several states, such as Germany, have thus increased their defence budgets to represent the equivalent of five percent of gross domestic product by 2025.
The Israeli-North American attack on Iran in February and the resulting situation exacerbated geopolitical tensions, already exacerbated by the invasion of Ukraine and genocide in the Gaza Strip, and multiplied purchases and orders to producers of military weapons and equipment.
So far, the US has only sold the F-35 to its closest allies, such as the European members of NATO and Israel.
But on Thursday they approved the sale of 48 units to Saudi Arabia for $24.3 billion.
Lockheed Martin specified that more than 1,350 F-35 are currently operating worldwide.