F-35 Fighter Jet: Procurement and Construction Measures

Both the planning and construction process for the infrastructure and the procurement and planned start of flight operations with the F-35 in the Bundeswehr from 2027 are within the planned time frame. Cost increases are expected for the construction measures for the complex infrastructure at the Büchel air force base.

The F-35 is to take over the role of nuclear sharing previously assigned to the Tornado fighter-bomber in the Air Force without interruption until it is decommissioned. In addition, as a fighter-bomber, it is to fight enemy targets on the ground and provide close air support to its own troops.

Nuclear sharing is essential for maintaining a credible nuclear deterrent for the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and essential for Europe's security. Germany will continue to make its contribution to this and provide the necessary carrier aircraft with the F-35. The aim of the alliance's nuclear deterrence is to maintain peace, prevent aggression and prevent nuclear blackmail. Therefore, efforts to introduce the new F-35A weapon system in a timely manner will continue to be pursued with the highest priority. A delay in the commissioning of the F-35A is therefore not an option.

Special Infrastructure: Relevance and Urgency

With the security policy challenges of the turn of the century, the procurement of needed new weapon systems, the retention or growth of capability, became urgently necessary. The Bundeswehr special fund made it possible to finance special armaments projects at short notice, such as the F-35A Lightning II fighter jet. For safety reasons, there are very special and diverse technical and infrastructural safety regulations for this weapon system. The construction measures were initiated immediately after the decision was made in favor of the weapon system, because the fastest possible integration of the weapon systems was and is the primary goal. Since mid-2022, the first special construction project has been the construction of the infrastructure for the start of flight operations with the F-35 on the NATO airfield in Büchel.

The project must be completed in less than half the time normally scheduled. It is a so-called high-speed project procedure for urgent construction projects of the Bundeswehr. The cost calculation from 2024 of up to 1.2 billion euros was based on existing findings from the early project phase, especially with regard to planning and physical scopes for the overall project. Not all of the manufacturer's technical details of the weapon system were yet known. In addition, for such a unique and at the same time complex project, there was no empirical data for the monetary consideration of the extremely demanding factor of time. The basis for evaluation at that time was considered to be well-founded with the existing knowledge and knowledge.

The unprecedented speed of time-bound special construction – especially with regard to US safety regulations – poses a particular challenge. Due to the further specification of the requirements in parallel to ongoing construction operations, the execution, work and assembly plans have therefore had to be adapted again and again in recent months. In order to keep to the ambitious schedule without alternative, the resulting additional requirements must be managed through increased planning effort, material and personnel approach. The additional financial requirements cannot yet be determined concretely, as planning is underway. The additional costs are foreseeable in the three-digit million range.

The focus of the project management continues to be on meeting the completion date, as the procurement of the 35 F-35A aircraft is proceeding according to plan, according to the armaments report. From 2026, the fighter aircraft can be taken over in the United States. From 2027, the infrastructure for flight operations will therefore be available in Büchel. To strengthen schedule and cost certainty, a supplementary quality management system has been set up.