Posted on 03/15/2022 10:55:25 AM PDT by Olog-hai
Germany will replace some of its aging Tornado bomber jets with U.S.-made F-35A Lightning II aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons, the country’s defense minister said Monday.
Announcing the decision, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said Germany also will upgrade its Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets for electronic warfare — a capability that’s also currently fulfilled by the Tornado jets. The Eurofighter will be replaced beginning in 2040 with the Future Combat Air System, or FCAS, that’s being jointly developed with France and Spain, she said.
Germany’s air force commander, Ingo Gerhartz, said the Russian war in Ukraine made it necessary to choose Lockheed Martin’s F-35s. Previously, the government had considered replacing the Luftwaffe’s Tornados with a mix of different U.S. and European-made aircraft. […]
The German military does not have nuclear weapons of its own, but as part of the system of nuclear deterrence developed during the Cold War it maintained bombers capable of carrying U.S. atomic bombs, some of which are stationed in Germany.
The opposition Left Party criticized the decision to purchase almost three dozen F-35s for Germany’s military. …
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
“U.S.-made F-35A Lightning II aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons”
A bit of a scare headline. A Toyota Tundra is also able to “capable of carrying nuclear weapons.” That’s not why I own one.
Are you looking to nuke someone?
I didn’t realize that the F35 is considered a bomber.
Germany finally upgrading from their Ju-88?
The F35A is a modified version that’s intended to deliver nuclear bombs.
The Finns are buying 64 of them.
I’m all for selling this stuff to NATO and European countries to keep Russia in check...but why do we need to have 100,000 American soldiers in Europe when we are being invaded across our Mexican border?
“I didn’t realize that the F35 is considered a bomber.”
It was sold as the Swiss Army knife of fighters. IMHO it can perform many roles while excelling at none of them.
What a swell time for the MIC to make a few bucks.
Virtually every warplane that Germany has acquired since 1945 have never seen a day of combat. F35s are top of the line but doubt the Germans will ever use them in war.
Recall that the Messerschmitt ME-262 jet fighter with the swept-wing design pretty much inspired the design of modern civil jet aircraft and military jet fighters following.
The opposition Left Party criticized the decision to purchase almost three dozen F-35s for Germany’s military.
“We reject arming the Bundeswehr with new, nuclear-capable combat jets,” said Ali Al-Dailami, the party’s deputy defense spokesman. He warned that equipping German pilots to drop U.S. atomic bombs could “fuel the risk of nuclear war in Europe.”
The same crowd that wants to defund police
and then complains about a rise in crime.
Where did you get that notion?
The Luftwaffe saw combat in Bosnia and Kosovo. They also provided support operations in Afghanistan.
Ironically, Die Linke is the renamed East German Communist Party. When in a weakened state, they always take an anti-war stance.
Well, one of the things it appears to be excelling at is... it’s very popular and easily sellable. It is also pretty good at knocking adversary aircraft out of the sky, although it hasn’t yet really been battle tested [maybe the Israelis?] so everyone has to rely on exercises against the F15s.
The sense I am developing is that it’s worth getting. I used to think it was a bit of a turkey.
Neither is the Tornado
The Tornados are at least as good as a strike eagle in their role if their crews get the fuel and engines to train. Lets admit what the germans air force role is, screening the Gen 5 fighters and bombers, and soaking up the counterforce so the B52, B2, B1 can get to their launch points. The next 2-5 years the skies over the EU will get loud again even if this ends in the next 4 months.
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