Therefore,
Spain renounces american f-35s benefit:
The determining factor? Moreover, The budgetary framework set by Madrid. Moreover, In its security. In addition, defense plan adopted in the spring, Spain decided to bring its military spending to 2% of GDP this year. Consequently, But above all, 85 % of additional credits (or nearly 10.5 billion euros) must be devoted to European equipment. Moreover, In this context, the acquisition of the F-35 is deemed “incompatible”.
A loss of on -board capacity for the Spanish navy – Spain renounces american f-35s benefit
Still according to El País. Similarly, this decision has direct consequences for the navy, which will have to withdraw its Harrier AV-8B from the vertical takeoff from 2030. Nevertheless, The only replacement available to date, the F-35B, the naval version of the American hunter, was therefore dismissed. Furthermore, The Eurofighter. Furthermore, on the other hand, cannot operate from the aeronefs Juan Carlos iwhose configuration spain renounces american f-35s benefit with short bridge strongly limits aeronaval capabilities. Madrid ordered a feasibility study for a future aircraft carrier with a conventional track. But this project. if confirmed, would not see the light of day before the next decade, leaving the navy without on -board aviation for several years.
On the side of the air force and space, the situation is less pressing. The F-18s will be gradually withdrawn by 2035. and a first modernization of the fleet has already been started with the acquisition of 45 Eurofighters. In the longer term. Madrid is counting on the SCAF, a new generation hunter program carried by France, Germany and Spain through Dassault Aviation, Airbus and Indra Sistemas. The program, however, remains in pain, slowed down by persistent industrial disagreements.
By giving up the F-35, Madrid still moves away from the American positions. The Sánchez government had already refused to commit to bringing its spain renounces american f-35s benefit military spending to 3%. 5% of GDP, as Donald Trump had demanded from NATO allies. Enough to feed trade tensions again …
A choice against the current of European dynamics
This withdrawal comes as the F-35 is enjoying growing success. on the old continent. With 13 European customers. the most recent of which are the Czech Republic, Greece and Romania in 2024, Lockheed Martin’s plane has established itself as the reference hunter. It was ordered 666 copies in Europe, well ahead of the Eurofighter (with 585 sales in Europe) or the Rafale (270). Even countries historically linked to European programs. such as Germany, Italy or the United Kingdom, however co-developers of the Eurofighter, have chosen the F-35 for their air forces. Belgium. for its part, confirmed in April 2025 the continuation of its acquisitions, after a first order of 34 planes in 2018, invoking the operational satisfaction of its spain renounces american f-35s benefit pilots. Globally. more than 1,200 aircraft have already been delivered to 20 countries, including Israel, South Korea, Japan and Australia, according to the latest figures published by Lockheed Martin in August 2025.
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