BERLIN

Germany will order 20 additional Eurofighter jets to strengthen its air force and enhance its capabilities, Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on Wednesday.  

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the ILA Berlin aerospace trade show, Scholz said the government has begun new defense procurements to address new security challenges after the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine. 

“We will be ordering 20 more Eurofighter jets during this legislative period, in addition to the 38 aircraft that are currently in the pipeline. We are also committed to further perspectives for the Eurofighter, including in terms of export,” he said. 

Eurofighter jets are jointly produced by Germany, the UK, Spain and Italy in a consortium. They can be used in both air defense (air/air) and air attack (air/ground) roles. The German Air Force currently has about 138 Eurofighters in service.