Aviation News – The U.S. ambassador to Portugal has called on Lisbon to replace its ageing F-16 fighter fleet with the F-35 Lightning II, arguing the move would strengthen interoperability with Europe’s most advanced air forces and reinforce NATO readiness.
The recommendation was made by Ambassador John Arrigo in remarks to CNN Portugal, where he said he plans to leverage his business background to help Portugal increase defence spending to meet NATO’s proposed target of 5% of gross domestic product by 2035, up from roughly 2% today. The aircraft is produced by Lockheed Martin, whose F-35 has become the backbone of many Western air forces.
