Germany to buy 93 Eurofighters, 45 F-18s

Germany plans to buy 93 Eurofighters and 45 US-made F-18s to replace ageing combat jets, Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said Tuesday, emphasising that the US planes satisfied NATO requirements.

Amid growing criticism over her decision to include US-made aircraft in the mix, the minister told Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper the F-18s were needed as "bridging technology".

To retire the present fleet of Tornado aircraft, the Luftwaffe (airforce) must maintain certain capabilities, and she told the German daily "it has to be said, that currently only US manufacturers are offering" the capacity to carry nuclear weapons.