Spain drops F-35 jet deal to back European defence projects

Spain has scrapped its planned purchase of F-35 fighter jets from US defence contractor Lockheed Martin, prioritizing investment in European defence initiatives over transatlantic military acquisitions.

The decision follows an internal reassessment of Spain’s 2025 defence budget, Caliber.Az reports, citing Spanish media.

While the Spanish government had previously earmarked €6.25 billion for the acquisition of advanced fighter aircraft in its 2023 budget, a broader shift toward European strategic autonomy appears to have taken precedence.

This year, the government has committed an additional €10.5 billion toward collaborative European defence projects — a move that renders the procurement of the US-made F-35s financially and politically untenable. The pivot aligns with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's long-declared aim of increasing Spain’s defence expenditure to meet the NATO benchmark of 2% of GDP, a target widely endorsed across the alliance.

However, the decision has drawn sharp criticism from Washington. US President Donald Trump publicly lambasted Sánchez’s decision not to further raise military spending to 5% of GDP, and has reportedly threatened retaliatory tariffs on Spanish exports.

As NATO members continue to debate the future of collective defence and burden-sharing, Spain’s decision could mark a pivotal moment in the continent’s evolving defence identity.

By Vafa Guliyeva