Spain’s government has indicated that the Spanish Air and Space Force’s F-18 Hornet fleet could remain operational until 2040. In a written parliamentary reply dated February 23, 2026, officials stated that extending service life to 2035-2040 requires adapting the sustainment system to maintain operability and safety.
This extension addresses the fleet initially due for retirement by 2030. However, it involves higher costs, including adjustments to avionics maintenance plans due to obsolescent benches, leading to longer times and more complex support activities.
No new fighter acquisition program is announced. Spain prioritizes sustaining existing F-18s amid delays in replacements. In August 2025, Madrid suspended F-35 talks with the US, favoring European programs. This leaves the Spanish Navy without a clear successor to its AV-8B Harrier II fleet on the Juan Carlos I assault ship.
Spain advanced partial renewal in December 2024 by ordering 25 additional Eurofighter Typhoons under the Halcon II program. Airbus noted these will replace part of the F-18 fleet, raising Spain’s Eurofighter total to 115 aircraft.
Long-term reliance falls on the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) with France and Germany. The program stalls over Dassault-Airbus disputes on development control. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz set a mid-April 2026 deadline to resolve issues ahead of Germany’s federal budget decisions.
Separate contracts support interim operations: a 40 million euro deal approved recently provides materials for 10 more years, alongside 20 second-hand General Electric F404 engines from the US via Foreign Military Sales.