Lockheed Martin confirmed that Germany's first F-35A fighter jet, designated MG-01, has completed final assembly at its Fort Worth facility in Texas and moved to Aircraft Final Finishes. The aircraft is scheduled for delivery in September 2026 to Ebbing Air Force Base in Arkansas, where the initial eight German F-35s will support pilot training before the first jets arrive at Büchel Air Base in Germany by late 2027.
Germany currently maintains a program of record for 35 F-35A aircraft to partially replace its Panavia Tornado fleet, which is expected to retire by 2030. Luftwaffe chief Lt. Gen. Holger Neumann indicated that internal discussions are considering procuring at least 15 additional F-35As, though a formal decision remains pending with the German Ministry of Defence.
