Spain has postponed its plans to purchase F-35 fighter jets, the Spanish newspaper "Pais" reported, BTA reported.
Preliminary contacts for the purchase of the US fifth-generation stealth fighters have been suspended "indefinitely" and the government will look for European alternatives such as "Eurofighter" (Eurofighter) or the so-called Future Combat Air System (FCAS), the newspaper reported.
“The Spanish option includes the current Eurofighter and the FCAS in the future”, the Spanish Defense Ministry told “Politico”.
Spain's decision would be a serious blow to the US aircraft manufacturer “Lockheed Martin” after Madrid issued a non-binding request for information about the F-35 in 2017.
Spain's 2023 budget included an initial allocation of 6.25 billion euros to replace the aircraft of the navy and air force.
The Spanish Air Force plans to decommission its “Harrier” Harrier AV8B by 2030 and expressed interest in replacing them with naval versions of the F-35B aircraft, which the United States and Italy have already purchased.
The Air Force has also considered the F-35A as an interim solution to replace its F/A-18 Hornets. (F/A-18 Hornet) of "McDonnell Douglas" while they wait for FCAS.
Madrid's move could further inflame tensions between Spain and the United States, as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is a vocal critic of NATO's new 5% of GDP defense spending target, which US President Donald Trump is pushing for, "Politico" notes.
Spain is resisting this, citing incompatibility with its welfare state priorities and its economic priorities, the Indian publication "Eurasian Times" points out. This position has been sharply criticized by Trump, who has also threatened to impose additional tariffs on goods from Madrid.
Spain's pursuit of European weapons options is believed to be driven by a desire to strengthen its industrial base and is in line with Sanchez's broader call for EU independence in defense, which contradicts US demands for NATO members to share defense costs, especially through American procurement, adds the "Eurasian Times".
Spain, as one of the four members of the "Eurofighter" consortium, signed a contract for 25 additional "Eurofighter Halcon II" in December 2024, recalls the specialized defense website "Defense Industry Europe".
The order covers the supply of 21 single-seat and four two-seat latest-generation Eurofighters to replace part of the F/A-18 fleet operated by the Spanish Air Force.
This would bring Spain's Eurofighter fleet to 115 aircraft. It is unclear whether the country plans to place another order for such aircraft soon.
The Eurofighters will feature advanced avionics, an electronically scanned array (E-Scan) radar, and advanced weapons systems capable of deploying Brimstone III and Full Meteor missiles. Although specific details of the configuration remain undisclosed, these improvements will put Spain's defense capabilities among the best in Europe, notes "Defense Industry Europe".
Madrid is thus ensuring the employment of 16,000 direct and indirect jobs in the country, as the Spanish Airbus plant in Getafe, near the capital, will assemble, test and deliver the aircraft. According to "Defense Industry Europe", the program also provides significant employment across Europe, as the "Eurofighter" initiative supports over 100,000 jobs across the continent.
However, as the cooperation between Spain, France and Germany on the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project has run into problems due to disagreements over workload distribution, this is delaying the entry into service date of the sixth-generation fighter.
Spain's announced refusal to buy the F-35 follows a similar decision by Portugal, amid concerns that any F-35 fleet would quickly become ineffective without access to US-controlled support, logistics and computer networks, which would give the US administration indirect control over the operations of the F-35, which is in service in virtually every country.
In March, Portugal said it was reviewing its plans to buy the fifth-generation stealth fighter, the F-35 Lightning II, and was considering a European alternative, the Associated Press reported.
"We cannot ignore the geopolitical environment in our choices. The recent position of the United States in the context of NATO... should make us think about the best options, because the predictability of our allies is a greater advantage that must be taken into account," Portuguese Defense Minister Nuno Melo said in an interview.
Separately, Canada's plan to acquire F-35 fighter jets is currently under review, with the government considering whether to proceed with the full purchase of 88 aircraft (in addition to the 16 it has paid for).
The decision was announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney earlier this year after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed unprecedented tariffs on Canada and made repeated calls for the country to become the 51st U.S. state.