Berlin wants to buy 35 Lockheed F-35 fighter jets, def min tells parliament

BERLIN – Berlin aims to purchase 35 F-35 fighter jets built by Lockheed Martin to replace its ageing Tornado aircraft in the role of nuclear sharing, the German defence ministry told parliament on Monday according to a document seen by Reuters.

“In a first step, we will put in a formal request with the U.S. government for the purchase of the F-35A in order to get clarity regarding delivery timelines and options for cooperation in training and maintenance,” the document said.

(Reporting by Sabine Siebold; Editing by Miranda Murray)