Big news from Madrid: Spain has officially dropped the idea of buying the American F-35 fighter jets and will now decide between two European alternatives — the Eurofighter Typhoon or the futuristic FCAS (Future Combat Air System).
According to Spain’s Defence Ministry, the focus is now on supporting European-made aircraft. This means Lockheed Martin’s flashy F-35 is out of the picture. Earlier reports from El Pais revealed that the Spanish government had allocated €6.25 billion in its 2023 budget for new jets, but spending priorities shifted towards Europe.
Why? Spain has an extra €10.5 billion to beef up its military this year, but the government wants to keep that money circulating within Europe. Buying U.S.-made jets just doesn’t fit into that plan.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has been under pressure to boost defence spending to meet NATO’s 2% of GDP target, which he agreed to do this year. However, Sanchez isn’t interested in going as high as 5% long-term, a stance that didn’t sit well with former U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump even threatened new tariffs on Spanish products over the issue.
For now, Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Embassy in Madrid are staying quiet.
