Spain commits to 25 new Eurofighters under its Halcon II programme
December 24, 2024
The Spanish government signed a contract with Eurofighter GmbH and the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) for the acquisition of 25 Eurofighter aircraft and 59 EJ200 engines (this is 50 installed engines, with a generous allocation of nine spares) on 20 December 2024. The contract was not unexpected, as the acquisition was approved by Spain’s Council of Ministers in September 2023 and includes the aircraft, engines, and the necessary support services.
The Halcon II programme will see Eurofighter GmbH delivering 21 single-seat C.16 and four two-seat CE.16 aircraft, which are additional to the batch of 20 Eurofighters (16 single-seat C.16s, four two-seat CE.16s) and 48 engines ordered under the Halcon I contract, signed on 23 June 2022. The two Halcon contracts will see the Spanish Eurofighter fleet grow to 115 aircraft.
Originally, Spain acquired 73 Typhoons, although three of these have been lost through attrition, leaving a current fleet of 70 aircraft drawn from Tranche 1, 2, and 3A production. These serve at Morón near Seville (with two squadrons of Ala 11, the 11th Wing), and at Los Llanos near Albacete (with one squadron of Ala 14, the 14th Wing).
Unlike the other core nations, Spain decided to upgrade its 17 surviving Tranche 1 aircraft, introducing hardware modifications which support the Operational Flight Program 02 (OFP-02) developed by the Armament and Experimental Logistics Centre (CLAEX), and which provide a full multi-role capability. The upgrade was developed by Airbus and carried out at Getafe, and included the integration of some Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 equipment on the aircraft, including a new Computer Symbol Generator, Digital Video and Voice Recorder, provision for the Litening III Laser Designator Pod and a new Maintenance Data Panel.
The first upgraded single-seat Eurofighter (serial number SS003), together with a second two-seat aircraft currently undergoing the upgrade, was initially used by CLAEX (the Armament and Experimental Logistics Centre) as a test aircraft for the qualification of the new capabilities, being delivered to the unit in February 2019.
The 45 Halcon I and Halcon II aircraft ordered since 2022, will be to an enhanced ‘Tranche 4’ standard. They will be equipped with advanced avionics, improved connectivity and new sensors including an ECRS.Mk1 active electronically scanned array (AESA or E-Scan) radar. They will also have enhanced weapon systems capable of operating Brimstone III and Full Meteor.
The Halcon I aircraft will be delivered to Gando air base near Las Palmas in the Canary Islands from 2026, replacing the 24 secondhand ex US Navy EF-18s delivered between 1995 and 2000 to the F/A-18A+ standard. They will be assigned to 462 Escuadrón, the sole fighter unit within Ala 46 (the 46th Wing).
The Halcon II aircraft will replace part of the EF-18AM/BM fleet operated by the Spanish Air and Space Force and based with two squadrons of Ala 12 at Torrejon, near Madrid, and with three squadrons of Ala 15 at Zaragoza. Some 72 of these Hornets were delivered new, from McDonnell Douglas, between 1986 and 1992, and were upgraded to EF-18AM/BM standards in the mid-1990s. About 52 single-seaters and 12 two-seaters remain.
The Halcon II Eurofighters will be delivered between 2030 and 2035.
Air Vice Marshal Simon Ellard, the General Manager of NETMA, emphasised the importance of the Halcon II programme, saying that: “Halcon II is a significant achievement which underscores Spain’s strong commitment to the Eurofighter Programme. The additional 25 aircraft will not only enhance Spain’s defence capabilities but also drive significant economic and industrial benefits for Spain and the rest of Europe.”
All Spanish Eurofighters are assembled and tested at and delivered from the Airbus Getafe site (Madrid-Spain) and its industrial footprint translates into more than 16,000 direct and indirect jobs in Spain alone, involving all of Spain’s major national defence and technology companies. Mike Schoellhorn, the CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, commented that: “The Eurofighter is the most advanced and the most successful fighter jet from European production and is the backbone of European air superiority. It is also a symbol of industrial cooperation between nations and companies – an example of how Europe can work in our current defence context. We are grateful for the trust of the Spanish government in our Eurofighter and in Airbus Defence and Space. Not only is this order an important demand and defence signal, it secures the supply chain in Spain and across Europe.”
