Germany plans to buy 20 more Eurofighter jets for €2 billion to boost defense and support Airbus. This adds to the 38 jets already ordered. The Future Combat Air System project faces delays, so Germany and France are upgrading their current Eurofighter and Rafale fleets as a backup.
By Shreya M
The German government has announced its intention to procure an additional 20 Eurofighter combat aircraft, supplementing the 38 already on order. This decision is aimed at enhancing national defense capabilities and bolstering the aerospace industry, as articulated by Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He disclosed this plan on Wednesday during the inaugural day of the Berlin Air Show. At this event, prominent German contractors are eager to demonstrate the effects of the significant increase in defense funding, prompted by Russia's military actions against Ukraine, on an industry traditionally viewed with a degree of political skepticism.
The 20 new Eurofighters, estimated to cost around €2 billion (U.S. $2.2 billion), will enable aircraft manufacturer Airbus to maintain continuous production, according to Scholz. He also mentioned future export opportunities for the jet, which is produced in collaboration with the U.K., Italy, and Spain. Some industry officials interpreted this as a hint at another significant order potentially being on the horizon.
In addition to the four core nations, the air forces of Austria, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar also operate Eurofighters. Exporting to some Middle Eastern countries with questionable human rights records occasionally sparks political controversies in Germany, causing tension with European co-producers who are less concerned about these issues.
Germany's recent policy regarding Saudi Arabia allows the monarchy to acquire additional Eurofighters via Britain as an intermediary. Airbus is presently manufacturing a series of 38 Eurofighters in the Quadriga configuration, with a total cost approaching $6 billion. The final aircraft from this batch are expected to be delivered by 2030.
In parallel, Germany is engaged in the French-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project, which aims to develop a next-generation aircraft expected to be operational by 2040, although this timeline seems to be slipping.
To address potential delays or failures within the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program, officials in both Germany and France are systematically enhancing their existing fleets—specifically, the Eurofighter in Germany and the Rafale in France—with advanced capabilities. These incremental upgrades are designed to ensure the operational effectiveness of their current aircraft in the interim. Nevertheless, leaders in both countries emphasize that these measures are not intended to replace the FCAS. They maintain that the FCAS, with its advanced technological framework, remains essential and irreplaceable for the long-term strategic objectives of both nations' air forces.
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