(Adds parliamentary source confirming report) BERLIN, Oct 20 (Reuters) – German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius intends to order an additional 15 F-35 fighter jets from U.S. manufacturer Lockheed Martin, a parliamentary source told Reuters on Monday, backing a report by Spiegel magazine. Planners expect the additional aircraft to cost some 2.5 billion euros ($2.9 billion) according to confidential documents prepared for parliament's budget committee, the source said. Germany has already ordered 35 of the U.S.-made jets to replace its fleet of 85 ageing Tornado fighter jets, which are set to be decommissioned. The F-35 aircraft are designated to succeed the Tornados in their role of carrying U.S. nuclear bombs stored in Germany in the event of a conflict. Berlin previously denied plans to acquire an additional 15 F-35 fighter jets in July, but a significantly expanded defence budget has since created more scope for weapons purchases. At the time, a military source told Reuters that the idea of acquiring 15 more F-35 jets had been part of earlier discussions. Any decision to purchase more F-35 aircraft could spark fresh tensions between Germany and France who have been at odds over their struggling fighter jet project FCAS , or SCAF in French. (Reporting by Sabine Siebold and Kirsti Knolle; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Toby Chopra)
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