Scholz confirmed that Germany will purchase the U.S. F-35 Lightning II fighter jets worth €10 billion, and they will carry nuclear weapons

During a speech at a security conference in Berlin, Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed that Germany will purchase F-35 Lightning II fighter jets.

Here's What We Know

The cost of the contract will be €10 billion ($10.54 billion), although prices are still subject to adjustments. It became known from a document sent by the Federal Ministry of Finance to the budget committee of the Bundestag. Journalists from der Spiegel read it.

Olaf Scholz said that the purchase of American fighters of the fifth generation will be funded from the € 100 billion ($105.4 billion) allocated to strengthening the defense capabilities of Germany. And the contracts must be signed until the end of this year.

The F-35 fighter will replace the Tornado that Germany, Great Britain and Italy have been working on producing. The planes will expire in 2025. Scholz announced the purchase of the American F-35 Lightning II shortly after his appointment as chancellor (2018).

The FRG has no nuclear weapons of its own under the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany, which was signed in September 1990 and entered into force in March 1991. However, German aircraft can carry American nuclear weapons according to NATO's strategic concept. Therefore, the F-35 Lightning II will be stationed at the Büchel air base, where about two dozen American nuclear warheads are stored. At that, the military facility itself requires funding in the amount of €500 million ($527 billion). At the same time, the developed infrastructure will allow Germany to do without additional financial investments.

It's worth mentioning that the acquisition of F-35 Lightning II has its critics. In particular, the Federal Association of German Aerospace Industry (BDLI). Its representatives believe that the deal will adversely affect armament industry of Germany.

Source: der Spiegel