Spain’s decision not to adopt the F-35 Lightning II fighter could widen its rift with the United States.
NATO member Spain announced on Wednesday that it would buy European instead of American fighter jets, opting for either the Eurofighter or the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). The Spanish language El País reported that talks over the purchase of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II had been suspended “indefinitely.”
Madrid has already operated the Eurofighter Typhoon since 2003, and has ordered 115 of the multirole aircraft to replace its fleet of aging McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornets. The Typhoons are operated from Morón (11th Wing) and Los Llanos (14th Wing) air bases. Last December, Spain ordered an additional 25 of the Eurofighters under its Halcon II program. Deliveries of those aircraft are slated to be completed between 2030 and 2035.
The F-35 Was Meant to Be the Future of the Spanish Air Force
Spain first expressed its interest in the F-35 Lightning II in 2017, when “Madrid issued a non-binding request for information” on the multirole stealth fighter, Politico EU reported.
However, Madrid is already a partner with France and Germany on the FCAS, the program to develop an optionally manned sixth-generation fighter that could enter service by 2040. The FCAS will eventually replace the Eurofighter operated by Germany and Spain and the Dassault Rafale in French service. Though the FCAS program has seen turbulence in recent months, Spain’s decision to potentially wait may indicate Madrid’s faith that the program will deliver a capable combat aircraft.
The question now is what the Spanish military will do while waiting for the FCAS to arrive.
As noted earlier, Madrid could opt for even more Eurofighter Typhoons instead of buying the F-35A, the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant of the Joint Strike Fighter. Indeed, Typhoons might be a suitable replacement for the older Hornets, even as they lack the F-35’s fifth-generation technical sophistication.
However, opting for the Eurofighter does not answer what the Spanish Navy (Armada Española) will operate in the 2030s from its flagship, the Juan Carlos I multipurpose aircraft carrier/landing helicopter dock. The warship is equipped with a ski jump for short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) operations. However, its air wing is made up of the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, which is set to be retired by the early 2030s.
Spain has considered adopting the F-35B, the STOVL variant that is employed by the Royal Navy, the Italian Navy (Marina Militare), and which is now being acquired by the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF).
Without the F-35B, it is hard to see another way forward for Spain, unless it opts to employ only helicopters and possibly unmanned aerial systems (UAS) from the Juan Carlos I when the Harrier II is retired. There is also no indication that the FCAS will offer STOVL capabilities, so perhaps Spain does not see a need for a carrier beyond the end of the decade—at least one that can operate with manned fighters.
Spain’s Decision Complicates Its Relationship with America (and NATO)
Spain’s decision not to adopt the F-35 could widen its rift with the United States. As Politico EU reported, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been a vocal critic of NATO’s call for alliance members to increase defense spending to five percent of their respective gross domestic product (GDP). Spain—which is among the furthest members of NATO away from a potential conflict in Eastern Europe, and not coincidentally one of the alliance’s lowest spending partners—has called the previous two percent goal “sufficient, realistic and compatible with the welfare state,” and has sought an exemption from the five percent benchmark.
The United States has reacted poorly to Spain’s attempt to avoid increasing its defense spending. President Donald Trump had threatened that Madrid could be punished and would “pay twice as much” in any trade deal. Madrid appears unfazed by such threats—and is ready to walk away from one of its largest defense deals with the United States instead.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
