List of active equipment of the German Air Force

This list intends to give an accurate detail list of the equipment currently fielded by the German Air Force.

Collaborations with German Air Force Participation
Note, NHV provides the H145 rotorcraft training

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).


 * 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
 * Guided bombs: GBU-24 Paveway III (MK-84 or BLU-109), GBU-38 / 54 JDAM (MK-82 bomb body),
 * 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  .


 * 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
 * Air-Air missiles: AIM-9L, AIM-120B AMRAAM, IRIS-T
 * Guided bombs: GBU-48 Paveway III
 * Pods: Rafael Litening III

Eurofighter T2, T3 and T4

 * Canon: Mauser BK-27
 * Air-Air missiles: AIM-9L, AIM-120B, IRIS-T, AIM-120C5, Meteor
 * Air-ground missiles: AGM-88E Brimstone 3
 * Guided bombs: GBU-48 Paveway III, GBU-54 Laser-JDAM,
 * Pods: Rafael Litening III, Litening V ordered

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.

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.

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:
 * 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)

Eurofighter ECR

 * Electronic Attack configuration
 * 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
 * SEAD configuration
 * Canon: Mauser BK-27
 * Air-to-Air missiles: 2 IRIS-T, 4 Meteor
 * Anti-radiation missiles: 2 AGM-88E, 6 SPEAR-EW
 * Pod: 3 fuel tanks

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".