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.

Current inventory

Aircraft operated by the Luftwaffe

Aircraft provided by contractors

International collaborations with the Luftwaffe participation

Armament

Weapons and equipment used on each aircraft

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

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II 

 Canon: GAU-22/A
 Air-Air missiles: AIM-9X, AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-132 ASRAAM, Meteor 
 Air-Surface missile: AGM-158 Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile, AGM-158C LRASM
 Guided bombs: Joint Direct Attack Munition, Paveway

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.

Air Defence Systems

Surface-to-air missiles

Radar systems

Navigation equipment

Future equipment for the German Air Force

Aircraft

List of new aircraft ordered

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.

Equipment for future German aircraft

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

Air defence of the German military

Purchases confirmed

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".

See also 

 Luftstreitkräfte der NVA
 Glossary of German military terms
 Kommando LSK/LV
 List of military aircraft of Germany
 Luftwaffenmuseum, Berlin

References

Further reading 
Hundreds of books, magazines and articles have been written about the Luftwaffe. A select few are listed here.

 Amadio, Jill (2002), Günther Rall: A Memoir, Seven Locks Press. .
 Philpott, Bryan (1986), History of the German Air Force, Hamlyn. .

External links 

  
 Luftwaffe museum 
 Fleet of Luftwaffe

German Air Force
active
German Air Force
Equipment, Air Force
Air force