Dhe planned procurement of F-35 stealth jets from the USA threatens to be delayed and become more expensive. In the meantime, the Federal Ministry of Defense is anticipating considerable risks of “delays and additional costs”.
This emerges from a letter from the ministry to the budget committee of the Bundestag, about which the news agency AFP, the “Picture on Sunday” and the “Spiegel” report. The secret letter is classified as “classified matter – for official use only”.
The letter cites the necessary conversion of airfields for the F-35, high security requirements of the US seller and possible technical problems with the approval of the fighter jets for flight operations in Germany as risk factors.
Conversion of Büchel airfield required by 2026
It is questionable whether the conversion of the Büchel Bundeswehr airfield required for the F-35 can be completed by 2026 as planned. This schedule is “highly ambitious,” the letter says: “Delays and additional financial requirements until the infrastructure is completed must therefore be expected.”
Furthermore, the Ministry sees the danger that the approval for flight operations of the F-35 in Germany “is not possible in time” because the required documents “are not available or cannot be made available in the future due to legal requirements”. Flight operations could then “only be started with restrictions,” the draft says.
The Ministry of Defense also points to other factors that could lead to price increases: inflation, fluctuations in the exchange rate between the euro and the dollar, and rising production costs. It puts the total cost of the planned purchase of 35 F-35 jets at 9.99 billion euros. The money is to come from the 100 billion euro special fund for the Bundeswehr.
Crisis meeting on Monday afternoon
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defense announced to the AFP news agency that there would be “close coordination” and “clarification of open questions” with Parliament. An “intensive risk analysis” is part of all procurement processes and should identify possible problems “at an early stage”.
According to media reports, there should be a crisis meeting with the budget politicians of the government factions on Monday afternoon. The problems with the F-35 procurement should be discussed. A tranche of the costs is to be approved as early as December 14th.
Displeasure in the traffic light coalition
In the traffic light coalition, there is growing concern about the impending delays. “The schedule for the successor to the tornado must not be jeopardized,” said FDP budget expert Karsten Klein. He called on Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) to make the matter a “boss matter”.
The SPD deputy Andreas Schwarz (SPD) expresses himself in the “Picture on Sunday” outraged: “It is unacceptable that Parliament is only now learning about the problems,” said the chief rapporteur on the budget committee for the defense budget. “I expect the ministry to provide comprehensive information on how it intends to get the risks under control. Attempts are being made here to get rid of responsibility, ”said Schwarz.
Viola von Cramon, Green Member of the European Parliament, indirectly even called for the minister to be replaced: “Can we please appoint a minister at some point who is up to the job?” the problems with the F-35 order addressed.
The Union accused the government of “chaos in procurement”. “A proposal of such importance, which leaves questions about implementation unanswered, is unacceptable,” said parliamentary group householder Christian Haase (CDU).
The defense policy spokesman for the Union faction, Florian Hahn (CSU), counted on Minister Lambrecht. “The troops and all of Germany only have to be ashamed of this new information. The question arises as to whether there is inability or intention behind it.” Lambrecht never identified with the new era proclaimed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). “My recommendation to the Chancellor would be: Change the minister before it’s too late!”
On the other hand, the Inspector of the Air Force, Ingo Gerhartz, said via Twitter on Sunday that Germany was looking for problems with the F-35 where other European nations saw none. “And neither do we, by the way. Is the air there different?”
The Bundeswehr wants to replace its aging Tornado fleet with the F-35 machines. Lambrecht announced the purchase a few weeks after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The machines should also ensure nuclear participation: the Bundeswehr should be able to transport US nuclear bombs with them in an emergency.
As recently as 2019, the Ministry of Defense rejected the purchase of the F-35 at a request from Left MP Sevim Dagdelen, citing technical risks that were difficult to calculate. “So the problems had been known for a long time,” said parliamentary circles.
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