SPAIN HAS OFFICIALLY REQUESTED INFORMATION TO BUY 50 F-35 WITH FIRST DELIVERIES IN 2027

Spanish Government has officially filed an RFI for 50 LM F-35s JSF jets, 25 F-35A for Ejército del Aire (Air Force), and 25 F-35B for Armada Española (Navy) to the US State Department. 

In Early August Lt. Gen. Eric Fick, F-35 Joint Program Executive Officer, and Adm. Santiago González Gómez, National Armament Director for Spain, talked during a meeting at the program headquarters in Arlington, Va. to discuss about this subject. 

Spanish Navy wants to replace their aged AV-8B+, scheduled in service until 2028-2030, that operates from 'Juan Carlos I'. The 25 F-35A will replace F-18 Hornet Ejército del Aire's fleet. The Spanish tender covers both the air force and the navy for 25 conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) F-35As to replace the former's Boeing F/A-18 (EF-18 in national service) Hornet, and 25 short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) F-35Bs to replace the latter's McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II/II+ (VA.2 in national service). A type selection is planned for 2025, with deliveries to begin from about 2027. As the Spanish Navy currently operates the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II/II+ (VA.2 in national service) from its amphibious assault ship Juan Carlos I , it has long been known that the service will need to procure the F-35B as the only other STOVL aircraft when it eventually retires the Harrier in the early 2030s. 

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