Spain orders additional Eurofighters

During the ILA 2022 Airshow in Berlin, the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) signed a contract with Airbus for twenty new Eurofighters for the Ejército del Aire (EdA, Spanish Air Force). 

Known as the Halcon programme, the order will cover the delivery of a fleet of E-Scan (Electronically Scanned) radar equipped fighters, consisting of sixteen single-seaters and four double-seaters.

The new Eurofighters will be based at Gando Air Base at Las Palmas, where they will be used by 462 Escuadrón to replace its current fleet of F/A-18+ Hornets. Once delivered, Gando Air Base will become the third Eurofighter-base of the EdA after Albacete/Los Llanos and Morón.

The acquisition didn't come as a surprise as the Spanish Council of Ministers announced the plan for these aircraft back in December last year. In total, Spain has now ordered 90 Eurofighters.

Photo by Airbus