🇪🇸 Spain Plans Its First Conventional Aircraft Carrier in Historic Naval Leap

Spain commissions a feasibility study for its first conventional aircraft carrier, shifting from STOVL-only platforms and signaling a major evolution in naval air power.

Spain Prepares for Its First Conventional Aircraft Carrier.

In a historic shift for its naval strategy, Spain is preparing to build its first conventional aircraft carrier, a development that would significantly upgrade its maritime airpower capabilities. The Spanish Navy (Armada Española) has formally commissioned state-owned shipbuilder Navantia to conduct a feasibility study for what could become the largest warship in Spain’s history—surpassing the current LHD Juan Carlos I.

This initiative marks a clear evolution from the Navy’s original plan to operate up to three STOVL-capable amphibious assault ships to now embracing a mixed fleet that includes one conventional fixed-wing aircraft carrier. The envisioned carrier could resemble the French Charles de Gaulle, weighing around 40,000 tons and measuring over 260 meters in length.

Currently, the Juan Carlos I supports STOVL (Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing) aircraft such as the AV-8B Harrier II, now reaching the end of their service life. The only modern replacement available for such aircraft is the F-35B by Lockheed Martin, which limits operational flexibility and market competition.

A conventional aircraft carrier, using catapults and arrestor wires, would expand Spain’s fighter options to include the F-35C, F/A-18F Super Hornet, and Rafale M, among others. These aircraft offer longer range, heavier payloads, and more advanced sensors compared to STOVL types.

The move also aligns Spain with NATO partners like France and the U.S., both operating advanced carrier-borne aircraft. Furthermore, it opens the door to future integration of sixth-generation jets from the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project, being jointly developed by France, Germany, and Spain.

Navantia's study will explore key systems including:

- Catapult-assisted take-off and arrested recovery (CATOBAR) systems

- Aircraft support for 25–30 fixed-wing manned fighter jets

- Integration of Class 3 UAVs with capabilities for early warning

Pending government approval, the first steel cut could take place by 2035, with the ship entering service around 2040. When complete, the new carrier will be larger and more capable than the Juan Carlos I (26,000 tons, 231 meters), marking a leap forward in Spanish naval aviation.

Spain’s future carrier air wing may include a mix of:

- Carrier-capable fighter jets (F-35C, Rafale M, or F/A-18F)

- Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for surveillance and ASW

- Future FCAS naval variants (anticipated post-2040)

This development ensures that Spain will always have two naval aviation platforms operational, even when one is undergoing extended maintenance addressing a crucial limitation faced by navies operating a single carrier-type vessel.

It also reflects a broader trend across Europe: modernization of naval forces and an increased focus on blue-water capabilities. With rising geopolitical tensions and renewed interest in power projection, Spain is positioning itself as a stronger and more autonomous player within both NATO and the EU.

The construction of a conventional aircraft carrier not only reflects Spain’s technological ambition and industrial capacity, but it also enhances the country's strategic relevance in the Atlantic and Mediterranean theaters. This evolution is emblematic of a new chapter for the Spanish Navy and for European naval power as a whole.

UK Welcomes Second F-35 Squadron, 809 NAS 'Inmortals

The arrival of the first F-35 Lightning II at RAF Marham, Norfolk, in 2018, marked a significant milestone as it was allocated to the historic Squadron 617 "Dambusters". The arrival of the first F-35 Lightning II at RAF Marham, Norfolk, in 2018, marked a significant milestone as it was allocated to the historic Squadron 617 "Dambusters". This squadron, renowned for its rich legacy, became the pioneering unit to be equipped with this cutting-edge fifth-generation aircraft. Now, further bolstering the United Kingdom's aerial prowess, a second squadron, the 809 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) known as the "Inmortals," has been activated to operate the F-35 Lightning II. The return of the Fleet Air Arm's 809 NAS comes after a hiatus spanning over 40 years, following its disbandment in late 1982.

Dating back to 1941, the 809 NAS saw its initial combat involvement operating the Fairey Fulmar in the Arctic. Its missions extended to engagements in Malta, North Africa, and various theaters of war until its decommissioning in 1982 while operating the Sea Harrier. The rebirth of this squadron was commemorated with a parade and display at RAF Marham.

Air Marshal Harvey Smyth, RAF Air and Space Commander, unveiled the strategic vision, aiming to have "two front-line squadrons of Lightnings at sea, totaling up to 24 aircraft" readily deployable by late 2025. This planning aligns with the slated readiness of the 809 NAS to deploy aboard the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales in 2025. 

BRITISH F-35 CONDUCTED FIRST REFUELLING IN FLIGHT FROM US NAVY'S F-18F SUPER HORNET

British Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning combat aircraft have for the first time undergone “buddy-buddy” refuelling behind a US Navy (USN) Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet. Conducted in the Asia-Pacific region during the UK Royal Navy’s (RN’s) ongoing Carrier Strike Group deployment, the activity involved jets from the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) 617 Sqn, operating from the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. 

“The refuelling occurred during exercises with the US Navy aircraft carriers USS Ronald Reagan and USS Carl Vinson,” the RAF says. It involved RAF and RN pilots. “A Super Hornet configured with external fuel tanks and AAR [air-to-air refuelling] equipment provided a valuable opportunity to carry out this training and enhance interoperability between UK and US aircraft carriers and their respective carrier-borne aircraft,” the service adds. 

flightglobal

First overseas deployment of RAF F-35Bs to Cyprus for EXERCISE LIGHTNING DAWN

The Royal Air Force’s newest fighter left its home base for RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus to take part in its first overseas exercise following introduction.
Several F-35B Lightning aircraft from 617 Squadron, flew from their base at RAF Marham in Norfolk to spend six weeks at RAF Akrotiri as part of Exercise Lightning Dawn.
Owned and operated by the RAF, the Lightning Force is jointly manned by both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.
raf

First F-35 UK Deck Landing on HMS Queen Elizabeth

According MoD twetter acount today has been the first F-35 landing on the deck of Royal Navy HMS Queen Elizabeth.
DefenceHQ

USMC F-35B conducts first combat strike in Afghanistan

The Marine Corps F-35B, Lightning II, conducted its first combat strike in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in Afghanistan, Sept. 27.
During this mission, the F-35B conducted an air strike in support of ground clearance operations, and the strike was deemed successful by the ground force commander.
The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) is the first combat-deployed MEU to replace the AV-8B Harrier with the F-35B Lightning II. The F-35Bs from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 are currently embarked on the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) as part of Essex Amphibious Ready Group
cusnc.navy

US Marines F-35 jet crashes in South Carolina; incident comes same week plane flew first combat mission

An F-35B fighter jet crashed near Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina late Friday morning, military officials said, just days after the cutting-edge aircraft flew its first combat mission in Afghanistan.
“At approximately 11:45, a 2D Marine Aircraft Wing F-35B impacted near the Broad River in Beaufort County. The pilot safely ejected and is being examined by medical personnel,” Marine Corps officials said in a statement.
The incident, which is under investigation, comes during the same week the aircraft was first used in a combat zone.
F-35B fighters with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 flew their first combat missions in Afghanistan this week, military officials said Thursday, launching air strikes in support of “ground clearance operations.”
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/sep/28/f-35-jet-crashes-south-carolina/

HMS Queen Elizabeth, set sail to the US where fighter jets will land on its flight deck for the first time.

During the 65,000-tonne carrier's trip it will embark two US F-35B test aircraft, based in Maryland.
They are expected to carry out 500 landings and take-offs during the carrier's 11 weeks at sea.
Capt Jerry Kyd, the carrier's commanding officer, added: "Crossing a major ocean with 1,500 sailors, aircrew and marines embarked and the spectre of the first F-35B Lightning landing on the deck in September is very exciting for us all."
On leaving Portsmouth, HMS Queen Elizabeth will carry out tests in UK waters before heading across the Atlantic to the US where it will also visit New York.
bbc.co.uk

Italy says won't buy more F-35, will spent the money to boost welfare

Italy will not buy more Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets and is considering whether to stick to the order to which it is already committed, Defence Minister Elisabetta Trenta said on Friday.
Trenta comes from the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement which has always been critical of NATO member Italy’s order for 90 of the planes, saying the money could be better spent to boost welfare and help the sluggish economy.
Some 5-Star officials said last year that Italy should cancel the order for the fighters.
reuters

The First Four F-35B For Royal Navy arriving in UK Next Month

Four F-35Bs will arrive in the first tranche of stealth fighters to transfer from the USA to the UK, flying into RAF Marham in East Anglia.
The Norfolk air base will be the home of the Lightning Force – when the strike fighters are not embarked on HMS Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales.
Two Royal Navy and two RAF pilots will be at the controls of the multi-million pound aircraft for the transatlantic flight; they are assigned to the newly-reformed – and legendary – 617 Squadron, the Dambusters.
royalnavy

Study Concludes that Japan Izumo-class Vessels able to operate F-35B

The Defense Ministry commissioned a study into the possible conversion of the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Izumo helicopter carrier into a full-fledged aircraft carrier in case Japan was required to provide rear-line support for a U.S.-led war.
The ministry in April 2017 asked Japan Marine United Corp., a Tokyo-based company that built the vessel, to look into ways to improve the capabilities of the Izumo.
Japan Marine United submitted its report to the Defense Ministry in March and the ministry released details, with some bits blacked out, on April 27.
The report states that the Defense Ministry's precondition for the study was to look into how the Izumo could be used to provide rear-line support to the U.S. military.
The company was asked to provide estimates for the cost and construction schedule if changes were made to allow U.S. F-35B stealth fighter jets to land vertically on the deck and to use elevators to transport aircraft to their hangars.
asahi

3-D printer keeps F-35B flying during USS Wasp deployment

State-of-the-art parts fabrication is keeping America’s most advanced stealth fighter in the air during its first deployment aboard the USS Wasp.
When a plastic bumper for a landing-gear door wore out this month on an F-35B Lightning II embarked on the amphibious assault ship, a 3-D printer was used to whip up a new one.
The Iwakuni-based jet from Fighter Attack Squadron 121 later flew successfully with the new part, a Marine statement said.
Called “additive manufacturing,” the process from Naval Air Systems Command allowed the Marines of Combat Logistics Battalion 31 to create the new bumper and get it approved for use within days, the statement said. Otherwise, they would have had to replace the entire door assembly, which is expensive and time consuming.
stripes

F-35B lands aboard amphib for first Indo-Pacific deployment on Navy ship

The F-35B Lightning II landed aboard the amphibious assault ship Wasp on March 5, the first time the aircraft has deployed aboard a U.S. Navy ship in the Indo-Pacific.
Assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit based in Okinawa, Japan, the F-35B will aid the Expeditionary Strike Group in a routine patrol to strengthen regional alliances and provide rapid-response capabilities.
navytimes

South Korea, Japan Mull interested in F-35Bs for Amphibious Assault Ships

South Korea's navy is looking to buy stealthy F-35B aircraft, the Marine Corps jump-jet variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, for its new Dokdo-class amphibious assault ships.
Citing military sources, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said the Lockheed Martin Corp.-made short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35Bs would be part of South Korea's long-term plan to build a "blue water" navy.
South Korea currently has one amphibious assault ship, the 14,300-ton, 653-foot Dokdo, which is the largest ship in the South Korean navy. A second Dokdo-class amphib is planned for 2020.
Japan is also considering buying F-35Bs to operate from its helicopter carrier, the Japan Times reported.
The problem for South Korea and Japan will be in redesigning the decks of the amphibs to take the heat and stress of the F-35B vertical landings. The Dokdo class ships now are configured to support 10 helicopters.
military

UK clears F-35B for take-off from Royal Navy's HMS Queen Elizabeth

The UK Ministry of Defence has cleared the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet for take-off from the deck of the Royal Navy's Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth.
The clearance follows successful completion of ski-ramp trials on-board the British flagship vessel.UK Defence Minister Harriett Baldwin said: “Successful ski-ramp trials mean the F-35 is cleared to fly from the carrier as the momentum continues for this game-changing jet.“This milestone comes as our pilots and planes prepare to return from the US, ready for next year’s unforgettable flight trials from the deck of the nation’s new flagship.”
Baldwin confirmed that the F-35 Integrated Test Force, which includes five pilots from the UK, has successfully completed the ski-ramp trials milestone.
The British Royal Navy currently possesses 12 F-35 aircraft in the US, which are being tested ahead of a series flight trials slated for next year. An additional two aircraft are also scheduled to be delivered by the end of the year.
The trials will be carried out from the navy’s 65,000t HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier.
Prime contractor Lockheed Martin has designed the F-35 fighter jet to allow it to combat and defeat the most advanced threat systems both in the air and on the ground, in addition to those expected to emerge in the future.
As a fifth-generation fighter, F-35 is equipped with advanced stealth capabilities, enhanced agility and manoeuvrability, sensor and information fusion, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment.
The aircraft also features the latest technology that provides greater survivability, situational awareness and effectiveness for pilots, along with improved readiness and reduced support costs.

naval-technology

Italy rolls out first F-35B assembled outside US

The first F-35B to be assembled outside the U.S. was rolled out in Italy on Friday at a ceremony at the country’s assembly line.
The aircraft, BL-1, will fly for the first time in late August and is due to be delivered to the Italian ministry of defense in November, Lockheed Martin said in a statement. An Italian pilot will then fly the jet in early 2018 to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, for “Electromagnetic Environmental Effects certification,” Lockheed Martin said.
It will also take a role in pilot training in the U.S., an Italian source added.
The next Italian F-35B aircraft is scheduled for delivery in November 2018.
Italy has already delivered seven F-35A aircraft from its Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility at Cameri in northern Italy, three of which are now flying from the Italian Air Force’s Amendola Air Force base in southern Italy. The other four are participating in pilot training at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.The three now in operation have flown more than 100 hours from the base, including tanking with the Italian Air Force’s B767 tankers and sorties alongside Italian Eurofighters, M-346 jet trainers and the Air Force’s new Gulfstream Airborne Early Warning aircraft.
Two more F-35As are expected to be delivered from Cameri to Amendola this year, one in July, and the other in the fourth quarter. Another milestone: an F-35A assembled at Cameri made the type’s first transatlantic crossing in February last year.
defensenews

First US Marines F-35B Squadron Moves to Japan

A Marine Corps F-35B squadron has transferred from the United States to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan, marking the first permanent international deployment of the joint strike fighter, the service announced Tuesday.
Marine Corps spokesman Capt Kurt Stahl told Defense News that 10 F-35Bs from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 (VMFA-121) departed Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Arizona on Monday, with the first jets slated to arrive in Japan on Wednesday. All 10 F-35s will arrive at Iwakuni by Thursday. Eventually, an additional six jets will be relocated from Yuma to Iwakuni, bringing the squadron up to a full 16 aircraft.
VMFA-121 is a part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
“The transition of VMFA-121 from MCAS Yuma to MCAS Iwakuni marks a significant milestone in the F-35B program as the Marine Corps continues to lead the way in the advancement of stealth fighter attack aircraft,” the service said in a statement.
defensenews

F-35B May Be In Spanish Navy's Future

The Spanish Navy has a midterm problem to tackle or maybe it would be more accurate to say it has a dilemma the country’s next defense minister must solve: Should the force continue with fixed-wing combat aviation and, if yes, is the F-35B the solution?
According to Admiral Chief of Naval Staff Jaime Muñoz-Delgado, "Our fleet of Harrier aircraft has a useful life until the period between 2025 and 2027. And there is only one short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) option on the market: Lockheed Martin's F-35B. This is the reality."
The Spanish naval chief registered the concern Tuesday during a meeting with reporters. The problem with this solution is a limited defense budget.
Nowadays the "Armada Española" has a fleet of 12 AV-8B Harrier II Plus attack planes that formed the core of the 9th Aircraft Squadron more than 30 years ago.
The Spanish Navy Harriers can carry out missions ashore or from the landing helicopter dock Juan Carlos I.
In November 2014, the Ministry of Defense extended the agreement to support the Harrier program after approving an investment of €47.6 million (US $54.1 million) between 2014 and 2024.
"There isn't an official plan or proposal to pursue the acquisition of F-35Bs but the problem will be there in 10 years," Muñoz-Delgado stressed.
He mentioned the possibility of a joint strategy with the Spanish Air Force, which in the 2020s will need to start thinking about replacing its F-18s.
The US Marine Corps' F-35B reached initial operational capability last July 31. The variant is also being delivered to the UK, and the Italian Air Force will also operate it.
Esteban Villarejo defensenews

U.S. Marine F-35Bs Will Operate From British Queen Elizabeth Carriers

The U.S. Marine Corps will deploy its Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II strike fighters on combat sorties from Britain’s new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, a senior U.K. Royal Navy officer has confirmed.
Responsible for delivering the two 65,000 ton ships, said that using Marine aircraft and pilots to bolster the U.K.’s nascent carrier strike capability would be a natural extension of coalition doctrine.
Each of the 284 m-long carriers, fitted with a ‘ski jump’ bow ramp instead of the catapults and arrester wires once planned, will accommodate up to 40 aircraft: short takeoff/vertical landing F-35B strike fighters, helicopters, or a blend of fixed-wing and rotary tailored to the mission in hand.
Britain took delivery of its first Lightning II aircraft in 2012 and currently has three; the fourth is due to roll off Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth production line in January 2016.
Britain’s F-35Bs are scheduled to arrive at Marham Air Base in eastern England in mid-2018, achieving initial operating capability by the end of that year. A deployable U.K. carrier strike capability should be ready by late 2020.
usni.org

U.S. Marines Complete F-35B Readiness Inspection

The U.S. Marine Corps has completed an operational readiness inspection (ORI) of its first F-35B squadron, the last major hurdle before the service can assess whether VMFA-121 in Yuma, Arizona, is suitable to declare initial operational capability (IOC).
aviationweek.com