Germany's future F-35A fighter jets infrastructure costs for the aircraft have increased by more than 60 percent, far exceeding initial estimates. Adding a fighter jet to the inventory is not enough to use it; Security standards set by the Pentagon It is also necessary to have the necessary infrastructure. This infrastructure includes high-security hangars and shelters such as “Flightline Aircraft Shelters”, offices, maintenance workshops, simulator buildings and “Special Access Program Facility” (SAPF) type facilities for planning and evaluating missions. These requirements mean significant investments for countries.
However, the facilities and infrastructures in question bring about increased costs and budget problems in Germany, as in many other countries. The German Air Force (Luftwaffe) ordered the following to continue its participation in NATO's nuclear plans: Büchel Air Base, which will host 35 F-35A, was faced with this unexpected burden.
Costs Are Increasing Exponentially: From the Start to 2 Billion Euros
The cost of initially bringing the base's infrastructure up to standard 525 million euros It was calculated as. However, In February 2024According to budget documents from the German Ministry of Defence, reviewed by the magazine Wirtschaftswoche, the base's upgrades are expected to be faster than expected. will cost twice as much At the time, it was claimed that “in the worst-case scenario, the cost of the F-35 infrastructure would have to rise to 2027 billion euros by 1.2.” The ministry then claimed that they “did not have enough time” to plan the project in detail to explain the discrepancy.
But the cost increase did not end there. According to information obtained by ARD, a spokesperson from the German Ministry of Defense said that the infrastructure cost of Büchel Air Base It could reach 2 billion euros confirmed. This figure is higher than the estimate made in February 2024 800 million euros more represents an increase.
Considering that the project must be completed before the first F-35A aircraft is delivered, it is stated that the construction will require a large workforce, which will clearly affect the bill. The German Ministry of Defense also put this forward, stating that the “speed of construction” partly explains the increase of over 60 percent. In addition, the Ministry spokesperson continued his statements as follows: “This project is the largest and most complex project the Bundeswehr has ever undertaken.” He also added.
Belgium Also Struggled with Similar Problems
Not only Germany, Belgium also ordered 34 F-35A from Lockheed Martin suffering from rising infrastructure costs. In September 2020, Belgium allocated €300 million to build the necessary infrastructure at Florennes and Kleine-Brogel air bases. But two years later, the Belgian Ministry of Defense awarded a Belgian-Dutch-US consortium to “modernize the infrastructure of Florennes and Kleine-Brogel bases” as part of a 10-year public-private partnership Another tender worth 600 million euros announced.
The ministry stated that this project, which has an investment value of approximately 300 million euros per base, will meet the technical and functional requirements of F-35 operations and maintenance activities, while also giving importance to improving the living conditions of the personnel.
This situation shows that advanced technology fighter jets such as the F-35 put a strain on countries' budgets not only with their purchasing costs, but also with the complex and expensive infrastructure requirements they bring.
