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Spain ready to buy the F35
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 2:57 pm
by pabloeing
Today in Washington...Spain PM is going to say that Spain will buy the F35 to USA.......some people speak about 60 planes.
http://www.elconfidencialdigital.com/de ... 99356.html
Re: Spain ready to buy the F35
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 9:41 pm
by Ozair
pabloeing wrote:
I read some comments from the head of the Spanish Armed Forces a couple of months ago that indicated a buy, mostly associated with continued use of the Juan Carlos for fixed wing aviation, given their Harriers were going to reach their end of life by 2025. No surprise that the F-35 will replace both the F/A-18 and the AV-8B currently in Spanish service.
The question now is which variants they may acquire. Will Spain maintain a F-35B fleet or acquire both the CTOL and STOVL variants? There are obvious advantages to maintaining a STOVL F-35B fleet that can operate from L61 and from austere bases but also potential cost savings from acquiring and operating the cheaper CTOL F-35A alongside a smaller F-35B buy.
Re: Spain ready to buy the F35
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 10:43 pm
by JJJ
Ozair wrote:pabloeing wrote:
I read some comments from the head of the Spanish Armed Forces a couple of months ago that indicated a buy, mostly associated with continued use of the Juan Carlos for fixed wing aviation, given their Harriers were going to reach their end of life by 2025. No surprise that the F-35 will replace both the F/A-18 and the AV-8B currently in Spanish service.
The question now is which variants they may acquire. Will Spain maintain a F-35B fleet or acquire both the CTOL and STOVL variants? There are obvious advantages to maintaining a STOVL F-35B fleet that can operate from L61 and from austere bases but also potential cost savings from acquiring and operating the cheaper CTOL F-35A alongside a smaller F-35B buy.
12-15 Bs to sub for the aging Harriers (currently 12+1 operational, but there used to be double that figure) and 45-50 A to replace the 80-ish equally aging F-18s in service.
Re: Spain ready to buy the F35
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 11:42 pm
by Ozair
JJJ wrote:12-15 Bs to sub for the aging Harriers (currently 12+1 operational, but there used to be double that figure) and 45-50 A to replace the 80-ish equally aging F-18s in service.
Makes sense although perhaps a lower number of Bees than may be adequate if they wanted to surge a fixed wing capability on the Juan Carlos. Has that ratio come from the Spanish Armed Forces or your assessment on numbers?
Re: Spain ready to buy the F35
Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 10:16 am
by JJJ
Ozair wrote:JJJ wrote:12-15 Bs to sub for the aging Harriers (currently 12+1 operational, but there used to be double that figure) and 45-50 A to replace the 80-ish equally aging F-18s in service.
Makes sense although perhaps a lower number of Bees than may be adequate if they wanted to surge a fixed wing capability on the Juan Carlos. Has that ratio come from the Spanish Armed Forces or your assessment on numbers?
An article on the Spanish press citing "military sources". Nothing official.
Re: Spain ready to buy the F35
Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 10:33 am
by seahawk
No surprise they have no choice as the service life of the AV-8 is running out.