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WEEZE (dpa-AFX) - For its participation in the construction of the F-35 fighter jet, the arms manufacturer Rheinmetall wants to build a factory at Weeze Airport in western North Rhine-Westphalia. The Düsseldorf-based company announced a corresponding location decision on Tuesday. Rheinmetall is to produce fuselage parts for at least 400 F-35A Lightning II aircraft. Germany had ordered 35 such fighter jets for its air force to replace the aging Tornado. According to Rheinmetall, other customers are "friendly nations" of Germany.

U.S. companies Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin are responsible for other parts of the jet. Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger said the company was proud of the "genuine transfer of know-how to Germany." Production is expected to begin in 2025, with the facility located in an industrial park adjacent to the airport site itself. Lower Saxony and Brandenburg had also pinned their hopes on winning the site search, but are now left out.

The Rheinmetall factory will reportedly be just under 60,000 square meters in size, employing a good 400 people. Lockheed Martin manager Mike Shoemaker described the rapid selection of the site for the assembly line as an "important milestone in the German F-35 program". He said the production will help "meet growing global demand and stay ahead of the curve with the F-35 in terms of future threats in the 21st century." Earlier, Business Insider reported on the decision for Weeze./wdw/DP/ngu