Eurofighter displayed a mock-up in a Halcon II livery at the Paris Air Show 2023. The consortium has now finalised a contract for 25 new aircraft for Spain under the programme, with deliveries to begin in 2030. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)
Eurofighter and Spain have finalised a contract for 25 new combat aircraft to be acquired under the Halcon II programme.
The multinational consortium announced the deal on 20 December, saying the NATO Eurofighter 2000 and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) and the Spanish government had now finalised the contract for 21 single-seat and four twin-seat Eurofighters (C.16 in Spanish service).
Deliveries will commence from 2030, with Janes having previously been told by Airbus that the aircraft will be assembled at the Getafe production facility near Madrid in the Tranche 4+ configuration. This will include the European Common Radar System Mark 1 (ECRS Mk 1) active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, “plus some other improvements”.
The Spanish Air Force (Ejército del Aire Español: EdAE) now fields 17 Tranche 1, 32 Tranche 2, and 19 Tranche 3 Eurofighters. It has already contracted 20 Tranche 4 jets under Halcon I to be delivered from 2026, with the 25 Tranche 4+ Halcon II aircraft to follow as a partial replacement for the EdAE's 91 Boeing EF-18A and EF-18B Hornet aircraft.
Added to these, it may be that a further Tranche 5 Halcon III buy is forthcoming, or the EdAE may acquire the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II in line with its long-standing tradition of operating both a European and a US aircraft type in tandem.
For more information on Spain's Eurofighter programme, please see IFC 2024: Eurofighter, Spain to finalise Halcon II buy as negotiations conclude .
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