The Spanish Defence Ministry confirmed the decision, first reported by El País, stating: “The Spanish option consists of the current Eurofighter and the FCAS in the future.” Spain had earmarked €6.25 billion in its 2023 defence budget for new fighter jets, but the broader €10.5 billion increase this year will now go mainly to European suppliers. The shift prioritises domestic and regional industrial benefits.
Break with WashingtonTrump has demanded NATO allies raise defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, more than double the 2% target currently in place. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez rejected this, calling the demand “unreasonable” and warning against relying too heavily on the US for European defence. He’s previously said, “Only Europe will know how to protect Europe.”
Trump responded by calling Spain’s position “very unfair” and hinted at possible trade penalties, further fuelling diplomatic tensions.Why the F-35 lost outSpain’s pivot is part of a wider rethink in Europe. The F-35 programme, long plagued by soaring costs, software delays, and mechanical issues, is losing ground. Recent operational mishaps, including a British F-35B grounded in India and a US Navy crash in California, haven’t helped.
At the same time, many in Europe are uneasy about the US exerting indirect control over allied fleets through software and logistics chains. This concern has grown with Trump’s return to the political stage.Portugal, Switzerland, and Canada are now reconsidering their own F-35 commitments. India, too, has shown little interest in joining the programme, despite a direct offer in early 2025.European autonomy gains momentumMadrid’s choice underscores the EU’s push for defence sovereignty. Spain will raise its Eurofighter fleet to 115 jets, with 25 new aircraft to be delivered between 2026 and 2030. Built by Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo, the jets will be assembled near Madrid.
FCAS, meanwhile, is aiming for a sixth-generation fighter by 2040. The project has faced delays due to clashes between Dassault, Airbus, and Indra over workload divisions, but it remains a cornerstone of European defence ambitions.
Political backlash at homeSpain’s opposition People’s Party criticised the government’s decision. MP Cuca Gamarra called it “yet another example of sectarianism and confrontation with the United States.” But analysts argue the move is more strategic than ideological.
“There would have been a real risk of the Trump administration using an F-35 sale as political leverage,” said Michael Walsh, a foreign policy expert at UC Berkeley.
Spain’s decision is a blow to Lockheed Martin and the broader F-35 programme. More importantly, it signals that Europe is no longer willing to follow Washington’s lead by default. As political uncertainty grows in the US, countries like Spain are recalibrating to protect their own interests, industries, and security.
Other countries are having second thoughts on F-35Spain’s pivot is just part of a wider shift. Let’s look at who else is moving away from the F‑35.CanadaOttawa has already bought 16 F‑35s but is now reviewing the rest of the deal. Rising costs, political headaches, and Trump’s renewed tariff threats are all factors. A Canadian defence review recently argued for sticking with the programme—for alliance and integration reasons but public and political pressure to reconsider is growing.SwitzerlandSwitzerland signed up for 36 F‑35s in 2021, but a parliamentary movement is pushing to cancel the order. The government warned this would weaken the air force in the 2030s and rack up penalties—but that hasn’t stopped the debate. Neutrality, self-reliance, and suspicion of US dominance are fuelling the rethink.IndiaIndia has never been formally part of the F‑35 programme, but Washington offered the jets earlier this year. Now that deal’s dead. India rejected the offer shortly after Trump announced a 25% tariff hike on Indian goods. It’s now reportedly considering the Russian Su-57 instead. And in Parliament, the government flatly stated: “No formal talks yet with the US on the F‑35.”
Meanwhile, the UK’s own F‑35B didn’t do the platform any favours. A Royal Navy F‑35B made an emergency landing at Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram Airport on 14 June after a hydraulic system failure. The aircraft was stranded on the tarmac for five weeks, exposed to tropical weather, surrounded by Indian military guards. Local media mocked the sight—calling it a “grounded stealth jet in the monsoon.” It finally left India after a 37-day repair job.
That’s not a good look for the world’s most expensive fighter.
US Navy F‑35 crash highlights ongoing safety concernsOn the heels of the Kerala embarrassment came a more serious incident: a US Navy F‑35C crashed during a routine flight near Naval Air Station Lemoore in California. The pilot ejected safely, but investigations are ongoing.
This wasn’t an isolated issue. The F‑35 programme has seen multiple crashes over the past few years. It’s had engine fires, software glitches, supply chain gaps, and delays that stretch back more than a decade. Each incident adds weight to what critics have said for years: the jet is overengineered, under-tested, and overly dependent on US-specific logistics and software.
The bigger problem: No controlUnderneath the technical failures and political tension is a simpler truth: the F‑35 is not just a jet. It’s a flying computer and that computer is owned, operated, and updated by the United States.
All foreign operators depend on US approval for mission data loads, software updates, maintenance schedules, and even spare parts logistics. That level of dependence makes the F‑35 a powerful diplomatic lever and a strategic risk for countries that want operational independence.
It’s why Spain went with Eurofighter. It’s why India turned it down. It’s why Canada and Switzerland are having second thoughts. No country wants to be left asking Washington for permission every time they need to launch or land.
Europe is starting to build alternatives. FCAS is one of them. So is the UK-led Tempest programme. India is investing in its own fifth-gen fighter development. Even long-standing US allies are starting to hedge.
The F‑35 isn’t going away. Lockheed Martin still has orders and plenty of backers. But the shine is fading. And the politics surrounding it are starting to drive more decisions than the specs ever could.
The aircraft was supposed to represent the future of allied airpower. Instead, it’s becoming a case study in what happens when a weapons system becomes too complex, too political, and too controlled to trust.
Madrid’s message is clear: Europe needs to defend itself, on its own terms.