€8.86 billion euro bill to operate German Tornado jets to 2030

Reuters reports that the German Defence Ministry estimates it will cost nearly 9 billion euros to keep its ageing fleet of 93 Tornado fighter jets, which first entered service in 1983, flying until 2030, according to a classified document provided to German lawmakers this week.

Of Germany’s 93 Tornado jets, 85 are operated by the Luftwaffe, or air force, but not all are equipped to carry nuclear weapons. The remaining planes are used for training.

The steep cost forecast includes €5.64 billion to maintain the warplanes €1.62 billion to design replacements for obsolete parts, and €1.58 billion to procure them, according to the document, which was viewed by Reuters.

Germany in January decided to pick either the Eurofighter or Boeing Co’s F/A-18E/F fighter jet to replace its Tornado fleet in coming years, dropping Lockheed Martin’s F-35 stealth fighter from a tender worth billions of euros.

But neither the F/A-18 nor the Eurofighter, built by Airbus, Britain’s BAE Systems and Italy’s Leonardo SpA, are currently certified to carry U.S. nuclear weapons, as required under Germany’s obligations to NATO.

That means Germany will be dependent on its Tornado fleet until it gets new certified planes – a process that could take years.

Via Reuters