Spain finalizes $2.1 billion deal for 20 Eurofighters to replace old F-18s

WASHINGTON — Spain is about to obtain 20 Eurofighter jets to interchange a batch of F-18s the nation’s air drive operates from the Canary Islands, based on Airbus Defence and Area, the most important firm of the trade consortium making the plane.

The signing of a €2 billion ($2.1 billion) deal on the Berlin Air Present on Thursday is a part of a wider Spanish plan to interchange its ageing fleet of some 70 Boeing-made F-18s. Eurofighter had one thing of a lock on changing the oldest of Spain’s U.S.-made planes, stationed on the favored vacationer island of Gran Canaria west of Africa, and the federal government in Madrid cleared the acquisition in late 2021.

The Halcon program, because the Spaniards name the acquisition, consists of 16 single-seater and 4 twin-seater jets, all geared up with e-scan radars. With deliveries slated to start in 2026, the brand new deal will convey Spain’s Eurofighter fleet to 90, based on Airbus.

The NATO Eurofighter and Twister Administration Company (NETMA) represents the 4 core governments concerned in this system: Germany, the UK, Italy and Spain. Germany-based Eurofighter GmbH, the seller, represents the taking part industries of the member international locations, led by Airbus Defence and Area for Germany and Spain, BAE Techniques for the U.Ok. and Leonardo for Italy.

The deal signed June 23 in Berlin additionally consists of 48 of the jets’ EJ200 energy vegetation, bought by a consortium of main engine makers from the 4 program nations, based on a Eurofighter GmbH assertion.

Spain’s Eurofighters are assembled at Airbus’ Getafe web site simply south of Madrid.

“This extra order reinforces Spain’s dedication not solely in the direction of the Eurofighter but in addition to its improvement and industrial atmosphere,” mentioned Mike Schoellhorn, the chief govt of Airbus Defence and Area.”

Airbus has pitched the modernization of its Eurofighter fleet as a stepping stone towards the eventual Future Fight Air System, or FCAS, a German-French-Spanish program meant to interchange the kind in Germany and Spain, and the Rafale in France.

That program has been in limbo, nevertheless, over industrial management claims by France’s Dassault that Airbus executives have mentioned they can’t settle for as a result of it will drive them to desert their very own key enterprise strains within the discipline of avionics.