Special rights for USA at F-35 deal

“Excluded legal process”

Fighter jet purchase: Secret clauses are said to give us special rights

Details on the purchase of the American F-35 fight jets should show that the United States also reserves many rights after delivery.

The purchase of American F-35 fight jets for the Bundeswehr gives new doubts. At first there had been concerns that the United States could paralyze the aircraft via remote trigger. But now new details from the contract between the Federal Government and the American Ministry of Defense come to light, which reveal further restrictions.

The US jets are actually urgently needed, the German Air Force needs replacement for their elderly tornados. These were developed in the 1970s. The Eurofighter are also not the latest generation fighter jets. That is why the then Minister of Defense Christine Lambrecht ordered the modern American Tarnkappenjets in 2022.

But the contract has its pitfalls, as the “star” now reports. The contract is available to the magazine, according to a report. One of the clauses: “The US government reserves the right to terminate or suspend the provision of service in the event of unusual and mandatory circumstances if it requires the national interest of the United States.” In the event of a crisis, US President Trump could reclaim the jets before delivery. They should actually come to Germany in 2027.

Nothing may be changed on the state -of -the -art aircraft on the part of the Air Force, and the spare parts are only available after approval, the report is cited. It had already become known that the airfield in Büchel had to be rebuilt for the F 35 II Lightning.

Since the purchase contract was concluded with the US air weapon, the procurement guidelines of the American government apply. And in this, for example, no contractual penalties are provided. Warranties are also excluded, the “star” writes. More serious: “The legal process is also excluded” is cited from the contract. If there are problems, they have to be negotiated, the federal government cannot go in court.

And even if the fighter planes are finally in the hands of German pilots, the USA can cancel a start. The Foreign Assistance Act allows the United States “monitoring the final use” of the F 35, “all” use, as “Stern” says in the contract.

It is also questionable what happens to the data collected by the on -board computers. Technically, they should hang in the cloud of Amazon, so the USA would have accessed the USA. According to “Stern”, a German general has concerns: “What is the data from US partners through?” A MP told the magazine: “The question is also among an estimated neighbors: does the neighbor have to know everything?”

Apparently you are also concerned in the Ministry of Defense. Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) plans to have a report on the doubt of the reliability of US President Donald Trump. As the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” reported on Thursday, citing its own information, it is about security questions about US weapons systems that the Bundeswehr has already used or ordered. Accordingly, the minister plans a confidential round with generals, ministry experts and representatives of the procurement office.

Against the background of the ongoing debate about the load-bearing capacity of transatlantic relationships in the future, CDU foreign politician Roderich Kiesewetter questions the acquisition of 35 US Federation Jets by the Bundeswehr. “The F-35 is a system that is largely controlled by the USA,” he told the “Tagesspiegel” (Friday) with a view to mission planning system, electronic network and technical maintenance: “In this respect, the USA theoretically have the lever, the f 35 to make us useless”. In his view, Germany should “check existing contracts with the USA”. At least it is “absolutely mandatory to look around for alternatives in order to be prepared in the event that the United States cancel the nuclear participation”.

In view of the doubts about the alliance loyalty of the Trump government, the German works councils of the Airbus armor division are calling for an end to German arms purchases in the United States. The general chairman of the works council Thomas Pretzl also requested a cancellation of the F-35 fight jets already appointed in the USA at a works meeting in Manching.

The EU foreign commissioner Kaja Kallas and defense commissioner Andrius Kubilius have warned of US weapons and also put pressure on Germany to look for alternatives. And Kanada thinks of pulling the ripcord and canceling the order of F-35. You have already transferred money for the first 16 jets. Germany has also done this: 2.42 billion euros have already flowed to the United States.