Germany: from its "Tornado" to alien F-35
As it became known from the publications of the DPA news agency and the newspaper "Die Zeit", German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht has prepared and will soon submit for consideration two controversial weapons projects.
This is associated primarily with the requirements of NATO, which relate to the armaments of the member states of the bloc. The government coalition in Germany cannot fail to fulfill the requirements of NATO, because the rearmament projects, which caused a very controversial reaction in the past Bundestag, were again in the crosshairs.
Most of the attention was drawn when Christine Lambert began consultations on projects with Chancellor Olaf Scholz. It was then that everyone began to stir.
What is it about? About Tornado. More precisely, "again about the" Tornado ", because even Lambrecht's predecessor in the ministerial post, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, decided to buy F-18 combat aircraft from the USA as a successor to the" Tornado ".
Yes, the Panavia "Tornado", developed in the early 1970s by specialists from the German firm Messerschmitt-Belkov-Blom, British Aerospace and Italy's Alenia Aeronautica, is actually outdated and needs to be replaced. Moreover, it is outdated not morally, but also physically. After all, the youngest "tornadoes" were made in 1998.
As you know, there were two modifications of the aircraft: the IDS Tornado fighter-bomber and the ADV Tornado interceptor. About ten years ago, all interceptors were removed from service by all operating countries and decommissioned. Obviously, it was the turn of the fighter-bombers.
Yes, the "Tornado" was a good plane that took part in more than one military conflict of our time, but alas, its time is up. And the plane really needs to be changed to something more modern.
Why can't you change it to Eurofighter "Typhoon" FGR4 aka EF2000, aka just Typhoon?
After all, the plane more than meets the requirements of the present, it is already in service, including in Germany, and certainly not much inferior to the same F-18, which Kramp-Karrenbauer so wanted to acquire. And in some important parameters, such as speed and range, it even surpasses.
And money "to the side" does not float overseas ...
The intrigue will not last long, alas.
There is such a thing as the concept of "US participation in nuclear weapons." Yes, the well-known program according to which aviation The Bundeswehr is simply obliged, if necessary, to carry somewhere an American nuclear weapon on board their aircraft. NATO's concept of nuclear deterrence provides that in the event of war, allies have access to US nuclear weapons, i.e. must be able to carry the bombs to the target on their own.
Typhoon is unsuitable for such operations. Moreover, the retrofitting of the Eurofighter for carrying and using nuclear weapons turned out to be associated with very big problems and is not feasible in the near future.
It is difficult to say where NATO is in such a hurry, but Germany has been under pressure in this regard for a long time.
And so, after Scholz spoke with Lambrecht, several test orders were placed in the United States. The aim is to further clarify whether purchasing the more modern F-35 aircraft could be an alternative and more efficient, both combat and economic.
Because the ability to carry American nuclear bombs or missiles is one thing, and the money that will not go to “your” Eurofighter is another.
Indeed, in Germany, work is now underway to ensure that the Typhoon replaces the Tornado in another very complex and useful matter - electronic warfare aircraft.
The Tornado turned out to be a very, very useful aircraft. M American nuclear bombs B61 could carry, and easily rebuilt for operation by an electronic warfare aircraft, and could be a highly specialized interceptor. In general, it is a versatile multi-purpose aircraft.
In general, the German government decided that the "Tornado" will be disabled and replaced during the term of this composition.
It remains only to decide. What will they change them to? Or - as an option - how many F-35s will be purchased specifically for the program of delivery of American nuclear warheads "to the consumer." And what aircraft will provide cover for the shock in terms of electronic warfare.
The previous plan for Germany's participation in carrying American nuclear warheads provided for the purchase of 30 F-18 versions of the "Super Hornet", and 15 F-18 aircraft in the EW version "Growler" were supposed to cover them and fight enemy air defenses with electronic means of war.
Using the calculator, it is easy to calculate that the program of delivery of American nuclear weapons to the enemies of the United States will cost Germany "only" 3 billion US dollars. This is just the purchase of aircraft.
On the one hand, it is surprising that in Germany they generally go on such a more than dubious adventure. Well, if the Americans need it so much in the event of a military conflict, so that the Germans take American bombs on board their planes and fly with them to the borders of Russia (well, it is impossible to imagine German planes flying to bomb China, for example), then America could simply provide equipment for delivering charges ...
The situation is simply incomparable. The height of cynicism, it seems to us.
Germany must buy American planes for its own money in order to hang American nuclear warheads from them and fly to bomb the enemies of the United States with these charges. And it will cost three billion dollars.
Stormy applause, turning into a standing ovation.
Considering that where the German pilots with American bombs are likely to fly, they are well aware of where in Germany THOSE bombs are located (in Büchel and Eifel), it is clear that inevitably you will arrive there from the “other” side. There, too, are not fools sitting. And not the ladies in the leadership.
In general, what the German defense ministers are doing to Frau would look funny if it were not so sad.
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