Germany has taken delivery of its first F-35A Lightning II at Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Fort Worth, Texas, where Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and senior Luftwaffe officers attended a formal handover of aircraft 35+01. The jet is the first of 35 F-35As ordered in 2022 to replace the Tornado fleet, and it will remain in the United States for training before the first deliveries to Germany begin in late 2027.
The initial eight aircraft are due to support pilot and maintainer training at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas. Germany’s F-35 base at Büchel is being prepared for the new fleet, with deliveries planned to continue through 2029.
The handover follows the aircraft’s maiden flight on 8 September, showing the programme has moved from production testing to formal acceptance. The fleet will give the Luftwaffe a long-term replacement for aging Tornados and sustain Germany’s role in NATO nuclear sharing.