Germany now wants classified info from Boeing?

Thanks to Gerard for the link!

via Defense Aerospace.

Germany has asked the U.S. military for classified data on two Boeing fighter jets as it looks to replace its ageing Tornado warplanes from 2025, giving a boost to the U.S. company locked in a trade dispute with Canada and Britain.

A letter sent by the German defence ministry’s planning division, reviewed by Reuters, said it had identified Boeing’s F-15 and F/A-18E/F fighters as potential candidates to replace the Tornado jets, which entered service in 1981.

A classified briefing is expected to take place in mid-November, following a similar briefing provided by U.S. officials about the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet in July.

The ministry has said it is also seeking information from European aerospace giant Airbus, which builds the Eurofighter Typhoon along with Britain’s BAE Systems and Italy’s Leonardo. 

Story here. 

They're asking about US jets when we know in the end they're gonna default to the Eurofighter simply because the politics demand it.  Why the games?