Germany Sets Aside $10.5 Billion to Buy F-35 Fighter Jets
- Scholz promised to boost defense after Russia invaded Ukraine
- German plan says delivery of aircraft to start in 2026
A Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II
Photographer: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Germany has earmarked €10 billion ($10.5 billion) to buy 35 F-35A Lightning II fighter jets, according to a government document seen by Bloomberg, reflecting Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s pledge to boost defense spending.
The money will come from a debt-financed €100 billion special fund that Scholz announced shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February. Deliveries under the plan are scheduled to take place between 2026 and 2029. The cost includes items such as air-to-ground missiles and ground infrastructure, according to the German document.