Particle.news
Get it on Google Play
Download on the App Store
8 ARTICLES
·
2d ago

Germany Rolls Out First F-35A and Begins U.S.-Based Training

The handover secures Germany’s ability to carry out NATO nuclear‑sharing missions.

Image
Image
U.S. Air Force pilot Col. Michael 'Shot' Glass, 104th Fighter Wing Commander, flies an F-35A Lightning II over Barnes Air National Guard Base at exactly 1:04PM EST, officially marking the historic first arrival of the fifth-generation fighter aircraft to the Wing, June 11, 2026. After delivering one of the first four F-35's to the 104th Fighter Wing, Col. Michael 'Shot' Glass gave a powerful speech to members of the wing on the significance of receiving the F-35, and presented the wing with its new mission statement, vision, and wing priorities. "With the F-35, our new wing mission is to forge combat-ready airmen prepared to defend our Nation and employ lethal F-35 airpower. Our new vision is to be America's premier combat wing, projecting decisive, unrelenting airpower across the spectrum of joint warfare. And lastly, our new wing priorities are to develop elite airmen, optimize readiness and lethality, strengthen partnerships, and drive continuous improvement. (U.S. Air National Guard Photo by Jay Hewitt)
The F-35A Lighting II that was unveiled at Lockheed Martin to Germany in a ceremony on Sept. 18.

Overview

  • Lockheed Martin presented Germany’s first F-35A at its Fort Worth factory in a ceremony on Friday, marking the start of German ownership and program activation.
  • The first eight jets will go to Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas for pilot and technician training this fall and Germany plans to receive aircraft on German soil in late 2027.
  • Defence Minister Boris Pistorius says the F-35 is the only current aircraft that can perform Germany’s nuclear‑sharing role and the jets are intended to replace the aging Tornado fleet.
  • The collapse of the Franco‑German‑Spanish FCAS fighter project has sharpened debate in Berlin about ordering more F-35s or seeking a European sixth‑generation path, and Germany and the U.S. signed a Statement of Intent to deepen defense‑industrial cooperation.
  • About a quarter of each F-35 is built in Europe, with German firms such as Rheinmetall supplying fuselage parts, a fact that ties German industrial jobs and sustainment roles to the program and shapes timing disputes over when the fleet will reach full operational capability in 2029–2030.