Once Ukraine got Spanish Leopard tanks, they want Air Fighters too 'Unreal or realistic' Brief of What Spain could be able to send in short-medium term to Ukraine

Once Germany has lifted the ban on exporting Leopard tanks to Ukraine, the Spanish Government has made public the decission of sending some surplus units stored at a base near the city of Zaragoza. The Spanish Army is equipped with one of the largest numbers of Leopard tanks: 347 in total, of which 239 correspond to the Leopard 2E model, produced in Spain, and 108 are Leopard 2 A4, purchased second-hand by Germany in 1995. More than half of the vehicles in this last lot were stored than ten years ago in the Army logistics base in Zaragoza and subjected to a dehumidification process to prevent deterioration. The tanks were thoroughly inspected over the summer and about 20 of them were in good condition, while a similar number needed rebuilding.

By sending this long-requested material, Ukraine wants that the Western countries to get more involved, and has revived one of its main requests for military aid, made especially at the start of the invasion: Sending fighter jets

What miltary planes could Spain send? In this brief analysis, the possible options are shown. Many can be described as unreal and not very useful for this conflict, but the war seems to be far from an end and a de-escalation is not expected in the short term.

Airbus Tiger EC-665

Spain acquired 24 units of this attack helicopter from 2005 (6 HAP + 18 HAD more advanced) The HAD version arrived at the Almagro Base to replace the BO-105. They were deployed to Afghanistan in 2013.

Deliveries of the 18 HAD (Attack and Destruction Helicopter), started in 2014. The six HAP were intended to be refurbished to the HAD version, but with growing economic crisis they were retired and stored for spares. In 2021 France and Spain agreed to develop the 'Tigre Mk III', an improved version of HAD with deliveries from 2030. At least one HAD airframe was scheduled to build one of the MK III prototypes. However, Airbus has a plant in Albacete, were the different helicopters that equip the branches of the Spanish Armed Forces are built (NH90 AS 532 H135 EC120), so could be easy to put some of them back into service.

• Airframes to deliver: 1-5
• Weapons: GIAT 30 mm Cannon, 4 Mistral AA Missiles, Up to 50 x Thales 70 mm High Explosive Rockets