At the end of this summer, Spain decided to abandon plans to purchase American fifth-generation F-35 fighters from Lockheed Martin, which the country had been considering since at least 2017.
Even recalling a similar situation in 2021, when Spain also changed its mind about buying the F-35, this time it seems the idea of acquiring American jets is being abandoned for good.
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Four years ago, Spain explained its decision not to buy fifth-generation fighters by citing a lack of funds, with the aviation budget primarily focused on the multinational FCAS (Future Combat Air System) program. However, today the FCAS program is also facing challenges, having lost one of its participants after Dassault definitively exited the project. Already in the summer, Spain expressed concerns about sustaining its fourth-generation fighter fleet.
Now, however, Spain appears to be making a sharp turn toward Türkieye. According to El Universo, Spain is considering purchasing Turkish KAAN fighters from KAI, expected to enter service in 2030. No further details about this potential cooperation have been disclosed.
Most likely, Spain sees the KAAN as an interim solution to fill current gaps until a sixth-generation fighter is developed, possibly in hopes of continuing the FCAS program in the future.
This news indicates that Spain is strengthening its aviation cooperation with Türkieye, as it was previously reported that Lisbon plans to replace its jet trainers with Turkish Hürjet aircraft, in a deal worth over €1 billion. Spain would become the first foreign operator of these jets after a series of setbacks.
Regarding the KAAN, if Spain indeed joins the project as a customer, it would provide Türkieye with a much-needed boost, as the Turkish program has previously highlighted the importance of foreign orders to increase project funding. However, it is worth noting that the KAAN fighter currently lacks engines due to U.S. sanctions.
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