Germany to buy more US F-35 jets—a blow for EU defense autonomy

Germany is considering ordering additional F-35 fighter jets from the United States, Reuters reports. The move would deepen Berlin's dependence on U.S. military technology as the German-French program for next-generation fighter jets falters.

According to sources mentioned by the press agency, Germany is considering increasing its order of F-35 fighter jets from the United States. The potential purchase could exceed 35 additional jets. In 2022, Berlin committed to purchasing 35 such jets, which are due for delivery later this year. 

This potential acquisition of additional US jets comes amid challenges for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program, a joint initiative between Germany and France. The €100 billion project aims to develop a next-generation air combat system to replace France's Rafale fighters and Germany's Eurofighters by 2040. 

Merz doubts over FCAS

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, speaking on the Machtwechsel podcast, cast doubt on the development of a manned fighter jet as envisioned by FCAS. "Will we still need a manned fighter jet in 20 years' time? Do we still need it, given that we will have to develop it at great expense?" he said. 

France requires a nuclear-capable jet compatible with aircraft carriers. Germany does not. Merz argued that forcing these contradictory requirements into a single airframe creates a "problem in the requirement profile" that renders the project unfeasible. With the operational timeline already slipping toward 2045 and the demonstrator phase stalled, Berlin appears unwilling to wait two decades for a paper plane while security threats mount on its eastern border.

Berlin’s urgency to buy F-35 jets

Germany’s urgent need for the F-35 is driven by specific tactical obligations that European industry cannot currently meet. The German AirfForceis tasked with "nuclear sharing" within NATO, requiring aircraft capable of carrying U.S. B61 nuclear bombs stored on German soil. 

The aging Tornado fleet, which currently fulfills this role, is nearing obsolescence. The Lockheed Martin F-35 is the only modern Western fighter certified for this mission. So it comes the need to increase this fleet. At over $80 million per unit, doubling down on the F-35 solves the immediate capability gap but drains the budget available for indigenous European development. This decision effectively acknowledges that for the next thirty years, the backbone of German air power will be American, not European.

F-35 jets are flying supercomputers

The most significant consequence of shifting to the F-35 is not financial, but technological. The F-35 is described less as a fighter jet and more as a "flying supercomputer," containing over 8 million lines of code. Unlike traditional hardware, the F-35’s operational capability is entirely dependent on proprietary U.S. software and logistical networks, specifically the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) and its successor, ODIN. 

European operators do not own this software; they merely license it. This dependency was underscored by Dutch State Secretary for Defence Gijs Tuinman, who recently noted that the F-35 is a closed system that cannot be modified or "jailbroken" like a consumer device without U.S. consent. 

If a European nation wishes to integrate a new weapon or alter mission parameters, it must request a software update from Lockheed Martin. This reality strips European air forces of "software sovereignty," leaving them unable to adapt their fleets to emerging threats without Washington's approval.

American overarching control

Beyond the operating system, the F-35 creates a critical dependency through its Mission Data Files (MDF). These files are essential for the aircraft’s sensors to identify threats and targets. Currently, these files are compiled and managed by a U.S. team at Eglin Air Force Base. Without updated MDFs, the jet’s stealth and combat effectiveness are severely compromised. 

This arrangement grants the United States a "kill switch" of sorts; by withholding data updates, Washington could theoretically ground or degrade the effectiveness of European fleets during a geopolitical disagreement. While nations like Israel and the United Kingdom have negotiated varying degrees of autonomy, most European buyers, including Germany, rely on the standard U.S.-controlled supply chain. In a crisis in which U.S. and European interests diverge, Berlin could find its primary air deterrent reliant on foreign data streams it cannot control or verify.

The end of strategic autonomy?

Germany’s potential expansion of its F-35 order suggests that the concept of "European Strategic Autonomy" is failing the market test. French President Emmanuel Macron has long advocated that Europe must be able to defend itself without relying on external powers. 

However, Berlin’s actions indicate a preference for the tangible security guarantee of U.S. integration over the theoretical benefits of industrial independence. If the FCAS program collapses or is downgraded to a "combat cloud" system without a manned fighter, Europe will have ceded the skies to American manufacturers for the remainder of the century. The result is a Europe that is militarily stronger in the short term due to the F-35's advanced capabilities, but strategically weaker in the long term, lacking the industrial capacity and digital sovereignty to act alone.