Panavia Tornado IDS variant

The IDS standard variant is a strike aircraft. The Recce sub-variant can perform all tasks of the IDS, and is capable of performing reconnaissance missions with a pod. This variant has a modified cockpit cabling and a different cockpit display (ASSTA-1 modernisation).^[18]

• Canon: Mauser BK-27
• Air-Air missiles: AIM-9L Sidewinder, IRIS-T
• Air-ground missiles: AGM-88B HARM Block IIIB, Taurus KEPD 350, Laser-Guided Sidewinder^[19]
• Guided bombs: GBU-24 Paveway III (MK-84 or BLU-109), GBU-38 / 54 JDAM (MK-82 bomb body),^[20]
• Unguided bombs: MK-82
• Nuclear bombs: B61-3 and B61-4
• Pods: Litening II (Rafael), Airborne Reconnaissance Pod II (ARP II)

Tornado ECR

An electronic warfare and SEAD / DEAD aircraft ^[18].

• Canon: Mauser BK-27
• Air-to-Air missiles: AIM-9L, IRIS-T
• Anti-radiation missiles: AGM-88B HARM Block IIIB
• Guided bombs: GBU-38 / 54 JDAM (MK-82 bomb body)
• Unguided bombs: MK-82, MK-83, MK-84
• Other: ECM pods (including jammers), passive radar, and ECCM equipment

Eurofighter T1

• Canon: Mauser BK-27^[21]
• Air-Air missiles: AIM-9L, AIM-120B AMRAAM, IRIS-T^{[22][23][24][25]}
• Guided bombs: GBU-48 Paveway III^[26]
• Pods: Rafael Litening III

Eurofighter T2, T3 and T4

• Canon: Mauser BK-27^[21]
• Air-Air missiles: AIM-9L, AIM-120B, IRIS-T, AIM-120C5, Meteor^{[22][23][24][25]}
• Air-ground missiles: AGM-88E^[27][28] Brimstone 3
• Guided bombs: GBU-48 Paveway III, GBU-54 Laser-JDAM,^[26][29][20]
• Pods: Rafael Litening III, Litening V ordered^[30]

Complementary elements for some weapons

Conventional Guided bombs:

• GBU-24, 907 kg bomb with a Paveway II semi-active laser guidance system, a FBM21 fuse and:
  • MK-84 bomb body, or
  • BLU-109 penetration bomb
• GBU-38 JDAM, 277 kg bomb with a JDAM guidance system (GPS/INS), MK-82 bomb body and FBM21 fuse.
• GBU-54 Laser-JDAM, 277 kg bomb made of the L-JDAM guidance system (passive laser seeker, GPS/INS), MK-82 bomb body and a FBM21 bomb fuse and an APS (adjustable proximity sensor).
• GBU-48, 454 kg bomb made of the Enhanced Paveway II guidance system (passive laser seeker, GPS/INS), MK-83 bomb body and FBM21 bomb fuse.

List of new aircraft ordered

More information Aircraft, Origin ...

Aircraft	Origin	Image	Type	Variant	Ordered	Notes
Combat Aircraft
Eurofighter Typhoon	United Kingdom  Germany  Italy  Spain		Swingrole	T4	38	[39]
			SEAD / ECR (Electronic Combat Reconnaissance)	ECR	15 – 30	[40][41]
Lockheed Martin F-35	United States		multirole / nuclear deterrent bomber	F-35A	35	[42] Purchased to continue German contribution to the Nuclear sharing B61-12
Helicopter
CH-47 Chinook	United States		Heavy transport helicopter	CH-47F Block II	60	[43]
H145	Germany		Attack helicopter	H145M	5	62 ordered by the German military, 5 for the Luftwaffe, 57 for the army. 20 additional ones are on option. [44]
UAVs
Eurodrone	France  Germany  Italy  Spain		surveillance, reconnaissance and combat	—	21	7 systems on contract with 21 drones for €3 billion[45][46]
SIGINT
Pegasus Based on Bombardier Global 6000	Canada	Note: illustration image	Surveillance	Global 6000	3	Ordered in 2021, to enter service by 2025 and replace the Eurohawk[14][15][5]

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Aircraft to be replaced

List of aircraft that are planned to be replaced in a near future for which the successor has not yet been selected.

More information Aircraft, Origin ...

Aircraft	Origin	Image	Type	Quantity	Notes
Eurocopter AS532 U2	France		VIP transport	3	€200 million budget for the replacement. It is planned to be replaced from 2027 (after 30 years in service).[47]

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F-35 (future equipment)

Future aircraft for the German Air Force, to take over the nuclear deterrence mission and to be used as a strike aircraft as well:^[48]

• Cannon: GAU-22/A (25 mm)
• Air-to-Air missiles: AIM-9X Block 2, AIM-120C8
• Air-ground missiles: AGM-158B/B2 JASSM-ER
• Guided bombs: GBU-53, GBU-31 (BLU-109 2000LB HP), GBU-54 (MK82)
• Other: DSU-38 Laser Illuminated Target Detectors for GBU-54
• Nuclear bomb: B61-12 (it will equip the F-35, designed to be stored internally)^[49]

Eurofighter ECR

• Electronic Attack configuration^[50]
  • Canon: Mauser BK-27
  • Air-to-Air missiles: 2 IRIS-T , 4 Meteor
  • Anti-radiation missiles: 2 AGM-88E
  • Pod: 2 escort jammer Saab Arexis, 3 fuel tanks^[51][52]
• SEAD configuration^[50]
  • Canon: Mauser BK-27
  • Air-to-Air missiles: 2 IRIS-T , 4 Meteor
  • Anti-radiation missiles: 2 AGM-88E, 6 SPEAR-EW^[50]
  • Pod: 3 fuel tanks

Purchases confirmed

More information System, Program participants ...

System	Program participants	Image	Origin	Type	Number	Notes
SAM Systems
Arrow 3	Germany		Israel United States	Anti-ballistic missile	3	The sale has been approved by Israel and the USA. The contract cost is $3.5 billion and Germany already paid a $600 million initial payment[53][54]
MIM-104 Patriot PAC-3+ Part of the ESSI	BEL  BGR  CZ  EST  FIN  DE  HUN  LAT  LIT  NLD  ROM  SVK  SLO  SWE  UK  DNK  NOR		Germany  United States	SAM /Anti-ballistic missile	4	Order of 4 batteries to Raytheon confirmed in March 2024, for $1.2 billion [55] The contract includes the batteries, spare parts, and support services.
IRIS-T SL Part of the ESSI			Germany	Tactical air defense system	6[56]	The PAC-3 MSE missile is expected to be supplemented by IRIS-T SLM as secondary missile for ground-based medium range air defense. It is based on the IRIS-T air-to-air missile[57] equipped with an enlarged rocket motor, datalink, and jettisonable drag-reducing nose cone.[58] The radar system expected is the Hensoldt TRML-4D, and it should be supported by the Integrated Battle Management Software Fire Control System (IBMS-FS) by Airbus. Six batteries are purchased for €950 million and the delivery will start from 2024,[59] 8 in total are expected eventually.
SAM missiles
MIM-104 Patriot - PAC-2 GEM-T	Germany		Germany United States	Surface-to-air missiles	100 (+ 400 on option)	Order confirmed for €602.1 million euros for the 100 missiles, replacement of the missiles transferred to Ukraine. 400 additional for €2.4 billion to be confirmed. Contract runs through 2024. The missiles will be assembled in Germany, and the main subcontractors will be MBDA, Bayern Chemie, TDW Gesellschaft für Wirksysteme, Sener Aerospacial and RTX. [60]
Air-to-air missiles
IRIS-T	Germany		Germany	Air-to-air missiles	120 (+ 1,160 in option)	Ordered in December 2023. €108 million for the 120 first missiles in the LFK version (air-air). [61]

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Potential future equipment

The equipment mentioned here is part of the program NNbS, ("Nah- und Nächstbereichs-schutz"), close air-support for the ground troops. At the moment, no decision has been made regarding the operator of those systems, it could go to the Bundeswehr or the Luftwaffe. In 2010, the German forces decided to retire the last 90 Flakpanzer Gepard. In 2012, the air defense of the Bundeswehr was completely disbanded. The Luftwaffe was to support the German forces with their Wiesel 2 Ozelot, and German soldiers had access to FIM-92 Stinger MANPADS.

This equipment described below is the most likely candidates that have been mentioned by the German military and by the German defence industry. More details can be found on the page "List of modern equipment of the German Army".