Germany is planning to purchase 93 Eurofighters as well as 45 US-made F-18s to replace its ageing fighter jet fleet, Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said Tuesday. Amid growing criticism over her decision to include US-made aircraft, the minister told Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper that the F18s will "serve as bridging technology" to replace capabilities that would otherwise be lost when the German air force's old Tornado fleet is grounded. bur-hmn/mfp/ach