Germany has signed a multi-billion-euro deal with Airbus for 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets, bolstering the Luftwaffe and advancing air fleet modernisation as NATO defense demands rise.
The new Eurofighters, built to the advanced “Tranche 5” standard, will include upgrades such as the E-Scan AESA radar for enhanced detection and targeting, and Saab’s Arexis electronic warfare suite for jamming and self-protection.
Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2031 and conclude by 2034, with the jets entering service as they arrive. These multi-role aircraft—capable of air-to-air combat, ground strikes, and suppression of enemy air defenses—are expected to remain active into the 2060s, bridging the Luftwaffe’s needs until the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) is scheduled to enter service from 2040 onward.
“This order strengthens Germany’s air defense and NATO commitments while securing critical industrial expertise,” said Airbus CEO Mike Schoellhorn. Eurofighter GmbH’s Jorge Tamarit-Degenhardt hailed the deal as “excellent news,” noting its role in sustaining over 100,000 jobs across the Eurofighter consortium, which includes Germany, the UK, Italy, and Spain.
The jets will be assembled at Airbus’s Manching facility near Munich, bolstering Europe’s defense production capabilities.
Germany, Europe’s largest Eurofighter operator, currently fields around 140 Typhoons. The new order complements prior acquisitions, including 38 Tranche 4 jets under the €5.4 billion Quadriga project (deliveries from 2025) and 15 additional units approved in 2022. The Luftwaffe’s aging Tranche 1 Eurofighters and Panavia Tornados, some dating back to 2004, are being phased out, necessitating these replacements.
The contract comes as Germany ramps up defense spending beyond 2% of GDP, spurred by Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and delays in the FCAS program. Analysts see the deal as an “insurance policy” to maintain European fighter production amid geopolitical uncertainties.
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