Spain snubs US F-35 jets in favor of European fighters
Illustrative photo: F-35 aircraft (Getty Images)
Spain has made a strategically important choice, rejecting the purchase of American fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets in favor of European alternatives, according to Financial Times.
Spain has officially given preference to European Eurofighter combat aircraft, refusing to purchase American F-35 fighter jets.
According to a spokesperson for the Spanish Ministry of Defense, Madrid has definitively abandoned any plans to purchase the F-35, which is manufactured by the American company Lockheed Martin.
At the same time, back in 2017, Spain was seriously considering integrating the F-35 into its army as part of a large-scale modernization:
- the F-35A model was to replace the outdated F-18 Hornet in the Air Force
- and the F-35B variant was to become the new generation of carrier-based aircraft, replacing the Harrier II in the Navy.
Moreover, the 2023 defense budget allocated €6.25 billion for the renewal of the air fleet, which indicated a potential agreement with Washington.
However, Spain has now completely abandoned negotiations with the US and opted for the development of European combat platforms. This primarily involves further investment in Eurofighter Typhoon multi-role fighters, as well as participation in the promising FCAS (Future Combat Air System) program, a cutting-edge initiative aimed at creating a next-generation combat aircraft by the 2040s.
Eurofighter fighter jets are a product of a joint consortium between Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo. At the same time, French company Dassault Aviation, European giant Airbus, and Spanish company Indra Sistemas, which coordinates Spain's participation in this ambitious project, are working on the FCAS project.
The US Embassy in Madrid is currently refraining from comment, but Spain's rejection of the F-35 could have long-term consequences for the US military-industrial complex, which promotes its aircraft as the gold standard of fifth-generation fighter jets.
Switzerland also plans to cancel its $9 billion purchase of F-35s due to Trump's tariffs.
At the same time, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's cabinet intends to transform the Bundeswehr into the strongest army in Europe quickly.
