Spain Scraps F-35 Fighter Jet Deal Amid Defense Budget Shift

Spain has decided to cancel its planned purchase of F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin due to budgetary allocation towards European defense projects. The decision aligns with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's push to elevate defense spending to the NATO benchmark, though this drew criticism from the U.S.

Spain has opted to cancel its intended acquisition of F-35 fighter jets from the American aerospace corporation, Lockheed Martin, as per reports from El Pais newspaper, which referenced anonymous government sources. The Spanish government had previously allocated 6.25 billion euros in its 2023 budget for new fighter jets.

However, the planned expenditure towards European defense initiatives this year, accounting for an additional 10.5 billion euros, has rendered the procurement of U.S.-manufactured fighter jets unfeasible. Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, had introduced measures earlier this year to elevate defense spending to fulfill the NATO standard of 2% of GDP.

The decision not to increase spending to 5% was met with substantial critique from U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened additional tariffs on Spanish goods. Both Spain's Defense Ministry and Lockheed Martin representatives were unavailable for immediate comment.

(With inputs from agencies.)