Agency Report –
The US remains a crucial ally for Germany, including when it comes to equipping the Bundeswehr, Boris Pistorius told dpa on Friday. His remarks came as the Defence Ministry rejected reports that US-made F-35 fighter jets ordered for the Bundeswehr could be remotely disabled.
“There is no way to simply shut down the F-35 remotely,” a ministry spokesman said, while acknowledging that acquiring a fully integrated weapons system comes with logistical and digital dependencies.
Pistorius: F-35 is example of cooperation with US
The ministry also denied reports of that a crisis meeting was held due to concerns regarding the US aircraft, stating that the F-35 programme is a multinational effort with contributions from eight countries, including five European nations.
Fourteen NATO members and 20 countries worldwide currently operate or plan to operate the jet.
Pistorius pointed to the F-35 project as an example of industrial cooperation between the US and its allies, adding that key components are manufactured outside the United States.
Germany has ordered 35 F-35 stealth fighters, primarily for its role in NATO’s nuclear-sharing programme, which allows allies access to US nuclear weapons in the event of a conflict.
Pistorius noted that nuclear sharing is only possible with fighter jets certified by the United States.
