The German armaments group Rheinmetall is to be involved in the production of the fighter jet.
(Photo: imago images/ZUMA Wire)
Berlin, Paris The US armaments group Lockheed Martin wants to involve Rheinmetall in the production of its F-35 fighter jet. The company is to manufacture parts for the fuselage of the aircraft in Germany, as Lockheed Martin announced on Friday.
At the end of last year, the federal government decided to purchase 35 of the latest generation of stealth fighters with a volume of more than eight billion euros. The order met with criticism, especially in France, since Paris sees it as a threat to the development of a European competitive model.
The involvement of Rheinmetall in the large-scale project comes as a surprise, since Germany initially decided not to involve local companies in the project. Rheinmetall is now set to become a key partner: “The production of the F-35 center fuselage sections in Germany will be of crucial importance in order to meet the growing global demand for the F-35,” said Mike Shoemaker, who is responsible for the F-35 at Lockheed Martin program is responsible.
France reacts with little satisfaction
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