The Spanish defense ministry has signed the official contract for the purchase of additional Eurofighter Typhoon jets under the Halcón project.
Announced at the ILA air show in Berlin, the project will see Eurofighter GmbH, NATO EF2000 and Tornado Development, Production and Logistics Management Agency (NETMA), and Eurojet Turbo GmbH deliver a total of 20 fighter aircraft.
The new airframes will include 16 single-seater and 4 twin-seater fighters equipped with electronic (e-scan) radar which will replace part of the legacy F-18 fleet.
The order will increase the Spanish Eurofighter fleet to 90 aircraft.
The aircraft, as with those in the German Quadriga program signed in 2020, will also be equipped with future-proofed hardware, software, and a broader multi-role capability for engaging air and ground targets.
Final assembly of the aircraft for Spain will be undertaken by Airbus in Getafe, Spain, with first Halcón aircraft set for delivery in 2026. The new order will secure industrial activity until 2030.
The contract for the additional airframes was announced after the Spanish government authorized the procurement in December 2021.
“These new 20 Typhoons and 48 new EJ200 engines for Spain demonstrate that this weapon system is still operationally relevant for our air forces, an excellent option for core nations and any potential export country,” Spanish General Miguel Ángel Martín Pérez, head of the logistics support command of the Air Force, said.
“Complementarily with other emerging European fighter programs, Eurofighter and EJ200 engine offer a proven, modern and reliable capability with potential for future growth based on an experience of more than 35 years.”
Eurofighter is Europe’s largest defence programme, in which Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain are the core European partners. At present, 680 Eurofighter aircraft have been sold to nine nations around the globe.
