Germany has signed a contract with Airbus for 20 additional Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft as part of its effort to reinforce national and NATO air defense capabilities.
The new aircraft will be assembled at Airbus’s facility in Manching, near Munich, with deliveries scheduled between 2031 and 2034. They will be built to the forthcoming Tranche 5 standard and equipped with the latest E-Scan AESA radar and Arexis electronic warfare suite, developed by Saab. These systems will expand the Eurofighter’s air-to-air and electronic combat capabilities, including potential suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) roles.
The Bundestag’s budget committee approved the deal earlier in October 2025 as part of a €7 billion defense spending package. Unlike some earlier procurements, the new tranche is funded from Germany’s regular defense budget rather than its post-Ukraine special fund.
“This new order is further proof of the Eurofighter’s importance to the German Air Force and the strategic role it plays in our country’s air defence and NATO capabilities,” said Mike Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space. He added that the program continues to serve as a technological bridge toward the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), the next-generation European airpower project led by Germany, France, and Spain.
Germany plans to operate the Eurofighter into the 2060s, with the aircraft eventually networked with future crewed and uncrewed platforms under FCAS. However, with that program facing delays and political friction among partners, Berlin’s latest Eurofighter investment is also seen as an insurance policy, keeping production lines active and industrial know-how in Europe while safeguarding its air superiority capabilities.
The production of the Eurofighter Typhoon at BAE Systems’ Warton site in Lancashire has recently paused for final assembly, following the completion of deliveries to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. However, there is potential for future export contracts, such as a possible order from Turkey currently under discussion.
