"Fighter aircrafts are much more complex systems than main battle tanks and have a completely different range and firepower. We would be venture into dimensions that I would currently warn against," Pistorius said in the interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung published on Friday.
Pistorius, who took office last week after his predecessor resigned, said Germany would also need to raise its annual regular defense spending from the current level of around 50 billion euros.
Germany also needs to replenish its military hardware stocks, including replacements for the 14 Leopard tanks that Berlin agreed to send to Ukraine to help repel Russia's invasion, the new defense chief said.
Germany has been hesitant in its aid to Ukraine, waiting until the United States committed its front-line M1 Abrams tanks to Kyiv before allowing German tanks to go not only from Germany, but also, from countries that Berlin has supplied those same tanks to.
