The Spanish government, led by Prime Minister Sanchez, has decided not to continue negotiations with the United States for the purchase of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter bombers.
In recent months, Madrid’s Ministry of Defense had submitted an official request for information to Lockheed Martin about the short takeoff and vertical landing version, F-35B, of the Lightning II.
The Armada’s Request and the Ejército del Aire’s Interest
The request was forwarded in view of the replacement of the current line of AV-8B Plus of the Armada, which will no longer be sustainable after 2030 following the withdrawal from service by the US Marine Corps and the Italian Navy of the Harrier II, and the closure of the upgrade and technical support program by the industry (Boeing, which took over from McDonnell Douglas).
Possible Alternatives
The Spanish Ministry of Defense has announced that now other options will be evaluated, including the acquisition of new batches of Eurofighters and waiting for the deck version of the FCAS/SCAF, the troubled program for the development of a new generation fighter that France, Germany, and Spain are struggling to move forward.
The Armada will suffer a significant blow to the operational capability of its embarked air component due to the absence of the F-35B, partially mitigated by the commissioning of UAV/UCAV that can be embarked on the LHD Juan Carlos I. However, the Armada will have to remain in service for quite some time while decisions on the feasibility and economic sustainability of constructing an aircraft carrier are made.
Photo credit @Armada Española
