With no time to wait for the FCAS, the Spanish Air and Space Force has its sights set on the F-35 as a potential replacement for its aging EF-18 Hornet.
The delays of the NGWS / FCAS (Next Generation Weapons System or Future Combat Air System) program, in which Spain participates along with France and Germany, and the age and attrition of the EF-18 fleet force to seriously consider a short/medium term alternative for its replacement.
And, according to El País, the Air and Space Force’s top commanders are clear about their preferred choice: the Lockheed Martin F-35, the only 5th generation aircraft currently available on the market and NATO’s «de facto» fighter.
But this favoritism for the American fighter comes as no surprise to anyone. Rumors had already surfaced in November last year that Spain was interested in acquiring 50 F-35s, of which 25 would be to replace the EF-18s and the other 25 to replace the Spanish Navy’s AV-8B+ Harriers.
See also: Spain wants to acquire 50 F-35 Lightining II
However, a few days later, the Spanish Ministry of Defense came out to deny these rumors:
«The Spanish government has no budget to enter into any other aircraft project in addition to the one already underway. We ruled out entering into the F35 project. Our investment commitment is in the FCAS», said the Defense Ministry spokeswoman at that time.
This is not a minor issue. Going for the F-35 to replace the EF-18s at Zaragoza (Wing 15) and Torrejón de Ardoz (Wing 12) would imply an eventual 10 billion euro deal (according to El País). That outlay would not leave much to invest in the tri-national FCAS program for a few years.
The option of following the German model
Another possibility for Spain could be to follow the German example, and diversify its purchase between F-35s and new Eurofighters.
See also: Confirmed! F-35 and Eurofighter ECR to replace Lufwaffe´s Tornado
Some of this has already been done. Under the Halcón program, the Hornets of the 46th Wing based at Gando (Gran Canaria) will be replaced by 20 new Eurofighter Typhoon tranche 3+ or 4. The purchase contract, signed with Airbus Defence & Space, is worth 2,043 million euros.
A split purchase between F-35 and Eurofighter of an advanced tranche such as the proposed LTE (Long Term Evolution), could be a compromise option that meets the preferences of the top military commanders and those of the Spanish aerospace complex (and European partners).
This would give some breathing space and a horizon of predictability to wait more calmly for the resolution of the differences between Dassault and Airbus on the direction of the FCAS program. And, one would expect, it would give the Spanish Navy the opportunity to place its own F-35B order for the Ninth Squadron, in order not to lose its embarked air-combat capabilities, when the AV-8B Harrier II/II+ are finally decommissioned.
