On December 20, 2024, the Spanish government announced the signing of a contract with the Munich-based NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) for the acquisition of 25 additional Eurofighter jet aircraft. Known as the Halcon II program, the order will cover the delivery of 21 latest-generation single-seat and four twin-seat Eurofighter aircraft which will be used to replace some older F-18 Hornet fighter jets currently operated by the Spanish Air and Space Force.
The acquisition was originally approved by Spain’s Council of Ministers in September 2023 and will include the aircraft themselves, plus engines, and the requisite support services.
The agreement, which follows a previous contract signed in 2022 for a batch of 20 of the European-made fighter jets, will see the Spanish Eurofighter fleet grow to 115 aircraft. With the first delivery of these new aircraft due in 2030, Airbus states that the jets will “boost Spain’s air-power capabilities and operations while reinforcing its prominent position at the heart of NATO and secure the program’s industrial footprint.”
“The Eurofighter is the most advanced and the most successful fighter jet from European production and is the backbone of European air superiority,” said Mike Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space. “It is also a symbol of industrial cooperation between nations and companies – an example of how Europe can work in our current defense context”
“We are grateful for the trust of the Spanish government in our Eurofighter and in Airbus Defence and Space. Not only is this order an important demand and defense signal, it secures the supply chain in Spain and across Europe,” Schoellhorn added.
All Spanish Eurofighters are assembled, tested, and delivered at the Airbus Getafe site located close to Madrid in Spain. According to an Airbus statement, the plant’s industrial footprint translates into more than 16,000 direct and indirect jobs in Spain alone. Additionally, the main national defense and technological companies are involved in the manufacturing process.
More about the Halcon program
Designed to replace the country’s F-18 fleet, the Halcon program will enable a significant upgrade of Spain’s airpower capabilities with a total of 45 Eurofighter jets ordered since 2022.
Equipped with advanced avionics, electronically-scanning radar (E-Scan), enhanced weapon systems capable of operating Brimstone III and Full Meteor, new sensors, and improved connectivity, the newest Eurofighters will join the Spanish Air Force’s currently operational 70 aircraft fleet from 2026 onwards.
In service with Spain since 2003, the country’s air force operates the Eurofighter from the air bases at Morón (11th Wing) based near Seville, and Los Llanos (14th Wing) in Albacete. Gando (46th Wing) based on the Canary Islands is slated to become the next operating base for the Eurofighters.
According to Airbus, more than 700 Eurofighters have been ordered by eight nations to date. The Eurofighter program secures more than 100,000 jobs across Europe, “which will be boosted through the latest-generation aircraft, as well as in the future, through technological advances within the Eurofighter development,” concludes the aerospace giant.
