Spain will not buy F-35B combat aircraft to replace the EAV-8 Harrier II from its aeronavale

It has been a discreetly interested in the hunter-bombardier F-35 for Lockheed Martin for a few years now, whose Stovl version [à décollage court et à atterrissage vertical] is the only one that can replace the EAV-8B Harrier II [ou « Matador] put in work by the 9th “Squad of aircraft” since the ship of amphibia assault Juan Carlos I. For example,

In October 2023. Therefore, the commander of the Spanish aeronavale [Flotilla de Aeronaves – FLOAN]Captain José Emilio Regodón Gómez, had said that he hoped for a “quick decision” on the purchase of F-35B, the EAV-8B Harrier II being supposed to arrive at the end of their potential in 2030, for lack of a solution to keep them in flight after this spain will not buy f-35b deadline. Therefore,

“It does not matter to have 99.99 % of the necessary parts because if, for any reason, it takes one of the missing 0.01 %, the plane cannot fly,” said the Floan commander. In addition. Moreover, the Spanish navy is about to be the last to exploit AV-8B Harrier, the US Marine Corps and the Marina Militare being replacing theirs with F-35B.

However. Therefore, the Ejercito del Aire y Espacio did not hide its interest in the F-35A either, the so-called “classic” version of Lockheed Martin’s plane. Meanwhile, Faced with replacing part of her former F/A-18 HORNET, she would plan to order around twenty copies. Similarly,

“Spain could have reaffirmed its interest in the fifth generation hunter F-35 Lightning II for a possible replacement of part of the EF-18. the AV-8B Harrier”, had also underlined the Revista Aeronáutica y Astronáutica, an official publication of the spain will not buy f-35b Spanish air force in 2024.

This interest in the American hunter-bomber was recently reaffirmed by the chief of staff of the Spanish forces. [JEMAD]Admiral Teodoro Esteban López Calderón. “The F-35 makes the difference”. Additionally, “we obviously have no other solution for a fifth generation plane with a really advanced stealth technology,” he told Nueva Economia Fórum.

In reality, noises on a possible acquisition of F-35 by Spain, have been circulating for at least four years. In November 2021. Greg Ulmer, the senior manager of Lockheed Martin, had entrusted to Aviation Week that discussions on this subject were underway with the Spanish government. What the latter had denied.

“Spain does not intend to buy F-35 combat aircraft in the United States. remains attached to the European SCAF program [Système de combat aérien du futur, ndlr] “And the” Spanish government has no budget to engage in another plane project spain will not buy f-35b in addition to the one who is already underway, “said a spokesperson for the Spanish Defense Ministry. And to insist: “We exclude entering into the F-35 project. Our investment commitment is in the SCAF ”.

However. the Spanish government, led by the socialist Pedro Sanchez since 2018, has taken steps to replace the EAV-8B Matador and the F-18 HORNET [ou C-15M] By reserving a “first allowance” of 6.25 billion euros in the 2023 budget. This is indeed what the daily El Pais recalled, this August 6. Only. he added, this money will not be used to acquire F-35 because the discussions between Madrid and Washington were “suspended indefinitely”.

“Although the government [espagnol] Approved last April a plan of 10.471 billion. undertook to spend 2 % of its GDP for security and defense, the decision to invest 85 % of these funds in Europe is considered incompatible with the spain will not buy f-35b acquisition of a model [d’avion] American, “said El Pais, citing” official “sources. Moreover, the daily newspaper was later confirmed by the Spanish Ministry of Defense.

Pending the SCAF. whose future is uncertain and which, in any case, does not provide for the development of a new generation fighter of the Stovl type, the Ejercito del Air y Espacio can always replace its F/A-18 HORNET with Eurofighter EF-2000/TYPHOON put in the last standard. On the other hand, the Floan will face a capacity deficit likely to be final …

“The Juan Carlos I can only use helicopters. which represents a strategic loss,” said El Pais, forgetting that it is a question that this ship is implementing SIRTAP tactical drones, offered by Airbus. “The navy instructed Navantia to carry out a feasibility study for the construction of an aircraft carrier” with catapults. strands, he also recalled. “But his arrival will not spain will not buy f-35b fill the void between 2030. the entry into service of this possible new ship,” he concluded.