Spain plans to build a CATOBAR aircraft carrier and convert current ships for drones, but defense budget constraints cast doubt on how Madrid will fund this naval expansion.
Multiple NATO members operate aircraft carriers. The United States Navy has more carriers than the rest of the alliance combined, but that may not remain true as other nations seek to increase their flattop footprint. In addition to the UK’s two Queen Elizabeth-class carriers, France has historically desired to operate two carriers, while Turkey is seeking to build multiple drone carriers.
However, an unlikely NATO nation has renewed carrier ambitions. That country is Spain, which is reportedly looking to build a conventionally powered carrier that could operate with CATOBAR (Catapult-Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) aircraft.
It would significantly enhance the capabilities of the Spanish Navy. However, it would be unique within the international alliance as only the US Navy’s nuclear-powered supercarriers and the Maritime Nationale’s (French Navy’s) flagship Charles de Gaulle are equipped with catapult systems.
According to reports from Spanish media, the decision to build a new carrier with CATOBAR capabilities would enable the operations of a broader range of carrier-based aircraft.
The Spanish Navy Wants an Aircraft Carrier
The Spanish Navy first conducted naval aviation operations before the Second World War, but these were primarily limited to seaplane carriers. It was during the Cold War that Madrid acquired the former US Navy Independence-class light carrier USS Cabot. Renamed the Dédalo, the warship remained in service until the late 1980s.
More recently, the Spanish Navy operated the domestically built Príncipe de Asturias, a light carrier that served as the Spanish Navy’s flagship from 1988 until 2013. Madrid currently operates the Juan Carlos I, a multi-purpose amphibious assault ship/aircraft carrier, which has an air wing of eight EAV-8B+ Matador II (the Spanish designation of the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II) short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft.
With those aircraft reaching the end of their service life, the Spanish Navy has been exploring the limited options available to them. It can either adopt the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II, the STOVL variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, or reconfigure Juan Carlos I to serve as a drone carrier. As The War Zone reported earlier this year, “carrier-based drones could help ensure the longer-term relevance of the vessel” as the Matador IIs are retired.
Spain’s ambitions to have a fleet of flattops are not new, and original plans called for the Príncipe de Asturias to remain in service alongside the flagship Juan Carlos I. However, the 2008 economic crisis impacted Madrid’s defense budget, and the decision was made to retire the older carrier. After failing to find a foreign buyer, the warship was sold for scrap.
Once again, Madrid is expressing interest in developing a carrier program that could see it operate a carrier with an air wing of up to 30 fighters, while maintaining the current flagship as a drone carrier and possibly alongside a second such vessel. The latter two could also be equipped with an STOVL fighter, likely the F-35B.
How Will Spain Pay for a New Aircraft Carrier?
The most significant unanswered question about Spain’s carrier ambitions, besides the obvious “why” as it has few overseas territories to defend with none that are far from Europe’s shores, is how Madrid proposes to fund such acquisitions.
Spain spends the least amount on defense among NATO members, with just 1.24 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) allocated to defense in 2024. Madrid remains far short of the two percent target that NATO members agreed to, and in advance of the recent NATO summit in The Hague, was given an exemption from meeting the five percent goal set for 2035.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has said that reaching the two percent goal is “sufficient, realistic and compatible with the welfare state,” but that would seem to be unrealistic if Madrid is serious about building an aircraft carrier, buying the 30 fighters that would make up its airwing, and converting its current flattop to a drone carrier.
Keeping defense spending in check and building an aircraft carrier may seem mutually exclusive, and it is unlikely that Madrid has a plan to reconcile these issues.
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].
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