The Halcón agreement, announced at the ILA air show in Berlin, will see Spain receive 16 single-seater and 4 twin-seater fighters equipped with electronic (e-scan) radar which will replace part of the legacy F-18 fleet.
Eurofighter GmbH, NATO EF2000 and Tornado Development, Production and Logistics Management Agency (NETMA), and Eurojet Turbo GmbH today signed the Halcón contract that will support the continued modernisation of the Spanish Air Force’s Eurofighter Typhoon fleet.
According to Eurofighter Typhoon website news release, the Halcón agreement, announced at the ILA air show in Berlin, will see Spain receive 16 single-seater and 4 twin-seater fighters equipped with electronic (e-scan) radar which will replace part of the legacy F-18 fleet. It will increase the Spanish Eurofighter fleet to 90 aircraft.
The aircraft, as with those in the German Quadriga programme signed in 2020, will also be equipped with future-proofed hardware, software, and an even broader multi-role capability for engaging air and ground targets.
The Halcón contract was signed at a special ceremony at ILA by Miguel Ángel Martín Pérez, General Manager NETMA; Carlo Mancusi, Chief Executive Officer, Eurofighter GmbH; and Gerhard Baehr, CEO Eurojet Turbo GmbH. The signing was attended by senior military, industry, and diplomatic dignitaries from the Eurofighter core nations.
Miguel Ángel Martín Pérez, said:
“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.
Complementarily with other emerging European fighter programmes, 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.”
Carlo Mancusi, said:
“Today’s announcement is great news for many reasons, particularly though because it signals the continued commitment to the future of Eurofighter Typhoon from one of the four core partner nations.
The order also highlights the current and future strength of the programme – which will ensure Eurofighter continues as the backbone of European air defence for many years to come – as well as representing welcome support for the European aerospace industry.”
Gerhard Baehr, said:
“I would like to thank the Spanish customer for their confidence in the Eurofighter platform, the EUROJET consortium, and the performance and sustainability of the EJ200 engines. This order enhances European defence capability and simultaneously provides long-term security for a number of highly skilled jobs in the European aerospace industry.”
The first Halcón aircraft will be delivered in 2026 and the new aircraft will secure industrial activity until 2030. With a service life well beyond 2060, the Eurofighter Typhoon’s technical capabilities will allow full integration into the Europe’s future air combat environment.
The first Spanish production Eurofighter to fly was CE.16-01 (ST001) on Feb. 17, 2003, flying from Getafe Air Base. The Spanish Air Force assigned their Typhoons to QRA responsibilities in July 2008.
Eurofighter is Europe’s largest defence programme, in which Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain are the core European partners. In addition to technological capabilities, the programme secures more than 100,000 jobs in 400 companies Europe.
At present, 680 Eurofighter aircraft have been sold to nine nations around the globe.
Photo credit: Copyright Eurofighter
