For the Spanish chief of staff, the F-35 is a hunter-bombardier who “makes the difference”

In October 2023, the Spanish naval aviation commander [Flotilla de Aeronaves, FLOAN]Captain José Emilio Regodón Gómez, said he wished a “quick decision” about the replacement of the thirteen embedded bombers EAV-8B Harrier II [ou « Matador »] who, of the stovl type [à décollage court et à atterrissage vertical]are implemented by the 9th “escuadrilla de aeronaves” from the amphibious assault Juan Carlos I. Therefore,

The file is important because it will be more. Consequently, more complicated to maintain these EAV-8B Harrier II in theft in the coming years, the Floan having to be the last to dispose of them, the US Marine Corps and the Marina Militare being replacing theirs with F-35B. Nevertheless, One of the challenges will consist in finding spare parts … spanish chief staff, f-35 hunter-bombardier Consequently, which will not be an easy task. Consequently,

“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 will not be able to fly,” said the Floan commander in May 2023.

However. the Spanish navy intends to keep its aeronaval capacities, or even increase them since Navantia was recently responsible for conducting a feasibility study in order to build a aircraft carrier similar to the “Charles de Gaulle”, but with classic propulsion. Cooperation with Turkey could be sealed for this purpose.

For its part. the ejercito del Aire y del Espacio hardly makes mystery of its interest in the F-35A [la version classique du chasseur-bombardier de Lockheed Martin]. And she would like to acquire around twenty copies. in order to replace part of her former F/A-18 Hornet of American spanish chief staff, f-35 hunter-bombardier design.

“Spain could have reaffirmed its interest in the fifth generation hunter F-35 Lightning II for a possible replacement of a part of the EF-18. the AV-8B Harrier II”, had also advanced the “Revista Aeronáutica y Astronáutica”, the official review of the Spanish air force, in 2024.

Only. the Spanish government, led by Pedro Sanchez [PSOE]Make deaf ear, preferring to focus on the purchase of EUROFIGHTER EF2000/Typhoon additional as part of the HALCón program as well as on the SCAF project [Système de combat aérien du futur]conducted in cooperation with France and Germany.

Precisely. while the SCAF, in particular on its “combat aircraft” aspect, is again the subject of an showdown between Paris and Berlin about its governance, the chief of staff of the Spanish forces [JEMAD]Admiral Teodoro Esteban López Calderón, subtly argued the cause of the F-35, during an intervention before the Nueva Economia Fórum, this spanish chief staff, f-35 hunter-bombardier week.

According to his remarks. reported by the Spanish specialized site Infodefensa, Admiral Calderón clearly indicated that “the F-35 makes the difference”. Thus, he said, “we obviously have no other solution for a fifth generation plane with really advanced stealth technology. This is reality ”.

If Spain does not buy F-35. then “we will have to do with the fourth generation planes we have and wait for the arrival of the SCAF one day,” continued the Jemad. “The problem is that we will have to wait for many years,” he insisted.

However, he continued, “that does not mean that we will be lacking in platforms. But we will not have furtive technology which is extremely useful in certain current conflicts, “he concluded.