Germany to buy 38 new Eurofighter jet

European planemaker Airbus has revealed that it had signed a contract to supply 38 new Eurofighters to Germany’s air force.

MPs had already approved the Airbus deal, set to cost almost 5.5 billion euros ($6.5 billion) to see the new fighters delivered between 2025 and 2030.

Berlin said the move was part of a wider plan decided earlier this year to split its choice of replacement for the decades-old Tornado aircraft between 93 of the European-made planes and 45 American F-18 jets.

At the time, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government hoped to show willing after US pressure to live up to NATO commitments on defence spending, while also supporting the European defence industry.

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Although Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer had hoped for lawmakers to sign-off on the American planes before upcoming elections next autumn, a defence ministry spokesman said MPs would only get their say in the following parliament.

Airbus defence and Space Chief Executive Dirk Hoke said in a statement the Eurofighter planes would have “a service life well beyond 2060” and be compatible with a next-generation European fighter currently in the earliest stages of development, known as FCAS.