Originally Posted by
Less Hair
They need a nuke certified platform fast and don't want it to interfere with FCAS later on in any way.
Plus France heavily insisted that Germany buying F-35 (which would obviously be a way more credible platform for Nuclear deterrence) in that role would be an absolute No- Go for collaboration on FCAS. Knowing that FCAS will definitely not be made B61- ready there was no better mid-term option anyway.