A few weeks ago, information from Germany appeared to indicate that the Luftwaffe may choose to replace its remaining Panavia Tornado fighter-bombers with a mixed fleet of 90 new Eurofighters Typhoon and 45 Super Hornets from the American Boeing. Very quickly, the information makes German industrialists and unions react, who see in this purchase of Super Hornet a shortfall obviously for the German aeronautical industry. The news is all the more worrying that such a purchase would weaken Germany's political and industrial investment in the European SCAF program, carried out jointly with France and Spain, and intended to give birth to the NGF, a new European stealth hunter.
However, if it still appears unfortunate to see a European country opted for American equipment even though European - and national - products could be available, the purchase of Super Hornets by Germany could be a chance for the Defense Europe. Indeed, the Super Hornets and Growler (the electronic warfare version of the Super Hornet) that Germany could buy are naval aircraft perfectly compatible with the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. Could we then imagine that the acquisition of American fighters would serve to develop the start of a European naval air capability?
The issue of replacing Tornado
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