The responsible members of the budget committee should also participate, the newspaper reports. The background is a secret tender proposal in which the ministry warns of major risks in the company.
The stealth jet from the American manufacturer Lockheed Martin is considered the most modern combat aircraft in the world. The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, announced a few days ago that he wanted to finalize the order soon. According to “BamS”, it concerns 35 machines including armaments worth 9.99 billion euros.
According to the information, the budget committee will release the tender proposal on December 14. However, the Ministry of Defense warns of risks. It is unclear, among other things, whether the Bundeswehr will be able to convert the airfield in Büchel in time for the F-35 jets in 2026.
US security requirements are extremely complex. “Therefore, delays and additional costs for the start of flight operations cannot be ruled out,” said Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht.
In addition, according to “BamS”, the ministry does not want to guarantee that the fighter jets can be deployed in Germany as planned. There is a risk that the national approval for flight operations will not be granted in time. “Flight operations could then only be started with restrictions,” it said.
Switzerland, for its part, buys 36 F-35 fighter jets for CHF 6,035 billion. The US aircraft are expected to be delivered between 2027 and 2030 and will replace the current fleet of F/A-18 Hornets and F-5 Tigers. Parliament approved the commitment appropriation on 15 September. The Swiss electorate narrowly approved the purchase of new fighter jets in September 2020.
(SDA)