FighterControl

Hi all,

An interesting snippet I came across this week. The Ala 46/Esc 462 F/A-18A+ operated by the Spanish Air Force at Gando, Gran Canaria are due for replacement imminently, and the understanding was that some of the Tranche 4 EF2000s procured under Project Halcon (20 jets), and the follow-up Halcon II (25 more) would be fulfilling this requirement.

However, according to the following document (a history of Ala 14),

https://publicaciones.defensa.gob.es/me ... ala_14.pdf

it appears that the current plan is that the Tranche 4 jets may remain on the mainland, with the initial jets going to Albacete, whilst later deliveries will replace the EF-18Ms at Zaragoza and Torrejon, whilst Gando receives second-hand jets from the units at Moron and Albacete. Obviously it is very likely that there will be a lot of juggling between bases to get the numbers right!

This quote, translated from the above article, seems to bear this out;

"In this sense, the programme Hawk provides for the purchase of new Eurofighter but no site says that they have to go to the Ala 46, in fact one of the current plans, still awaiting approval, it goes through these new planes come to Albacete, sending part of our current fleet Canary islands”.

So Ala 46 is definitely getting EF2000s, but right now which ones, and when, remains to be seen!

Gando will get Tranche 1s, which are a major improvement on the old EF-18A+s, and primarily roled with air defence. It helps Spain to be rid of the oldest EF-18s first of the 70-ish it flies currently.
I believe Albacete will get the Tranche 4s first.

No point putting your most advanced Eurofighters furthest away from the action.

Worth pointing out, that the Spanish Tranche 1 Eurofighters are the most capable of the Tranche 1s thanks to new software written by CLAEX. They integrated the Rafael Litening III targeting pod, a digital video and voice recorder and the ability to use the AIM-120C7 Amraam and the GBU-48 Enhanced Paveway II.