European aerospace giant Airbus, a majority stakeholder in the Eurofighter Typhoon consortium, is pushing the aircraft for export to Portugal, which has been seeking a European alternative to the US F-35 stealth fighter. French Rafale and Swedish Gripen are also in the reckoning.
After initially selecting the F-35A as a replacement for its obsolete F-16A/B fleet, Portugal announced in March 2025 that it would not proceed with the purchase and would instead seek alternatives in Europe.
The decision was taken amid growing cracks in the relationship between the US and Europe, and the fear of uncertainty and unpredictability of the US administration under President Donald Trump.
“There are several options that must be considered, particularly in the context of European production,” the Portuguese Defense Minister Nuno Melo said at the time, signalling an intention to pivot to the European defense industry.
According to reports, Airbus is seizing the opportunity with an early offer and working on a bid to replace Portugal’s ageing Lockheed Martin F-16A/Bs with Eurofighter Typhoons.
Airbus Defence & Space announced on October 27, 2025, that it has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Portuguese Cluster for Aeronautics, Space and Defence Industries (AED) to work together on an “industrial proposition” for the country’s fighter replacement program. “In a time where European sovereignty and industrial autonomy are at the forefront of our strategy, Airbus strongly believes that the Eurofighter is the best option for this replacement,” said Jose Luis de Miguel, head of the European region for Airbus Defence & Space.
Airbus Defence and Space and the Portuguese Cluster for Aeronautics, Space and Defence Industries (AED Cluster Portugal) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to identify cooperation opportunities ahead of the upcoming fighter fleet replacement in the country. 🇵🇹
In… pic.twitter.com/4yT0lAuaV9
— Airbus Defence (@AirbusDefence) October 27, 2025
The European contractor seems to be building on the existing association with Portugal, which already operates 11 Airbus C295 military transport aircraft, five of which are configured for maritime patrol. Additionally, some reports suggest it is also exploring local production in Portugal. However, the scope of that is not clear at this point.
“In the frame of this agreement, Airbus and AED have set the base to launch a series of studies to create a valuable industrial proposition to replace the current Portuguese F-16 fleet with a truly European solution, the #Eurofighter programme,” Airbus Defense wrote in a post on X. The company also reportedly highlighted the potential for the Eurofighter program to support nearly 1,600 jobs locally.
Notably, Airbus represents both Germany and Spain in the Eurofighter Consortium and holds a 46% majority stake. In contrast, the UK is represented by BAE Systems, which holds a 33% stake, and Italian manufacturer Leonardo holds 21%.
On its part, the Portuguese government has not officially specified the requirements for its fighter jet replacement program and has refrained from giving a timeline for a potential acquisition. Besides the Eurofighter Typhoon, two other European fighter jets—the French Dassault Rafale and the Swedish Saab Gripen-E/F—are also in the reckoning.
In fact, Saab signed a cooperation agreement with companies as part of its bid to supply its Gripen jets. Meanwhile, Dassault chief Trappier had also indicated that the French aerospace giant was ready to supply the combat-proven Rafale to Portugal and to any other country that wanted to acquire a European aircraft instead of the American F-35.
Why Did Portugal Abandon F-35?
The Portuguese Air Force first expressed interest in the F-35 aircraft in 2023 during Joe Biden’s administration. At the time, General João Guilherme Rosado Cartaxo Alves, the Portuguese Air Force’s Chief of Staff, said with conviction that the F-35A is the best option to replace the aging F-16 AM/BM Fighting Falcon.
The choice of the F-35 was in line with a broader trend: European countries were acquiring American stealth aircraft to counter rising security threats. Portugal, too, was enamoured by the aircraft’s coveted stealth capability and the potential for interoperability with other NATO air forces that would come with the purchase.
In April 2024, the Portuguese Air Force Chief insinuated that the service was in a “transition” phase toward the stealth fighter. The Chief also posited that the program would cost an estimated 5.5 billion euros and take around 20 years to implement—a statement that made it look like a purchase was imminent.
However, in an inexplicable development, the Portuguese Ministry of Defense backtracked later that year and said, “This is a vision for the future, so currently, there is no process for purchasing aircraft to replace the F-16.”
The last nail in Portugal’s purchase of F-35s came in March 2025, when Portuguese Defense Minister Nuno Melo announced that the country would not proceed with the purchase of the American stealth fighter, as reported by EurAsian Times at the time.
The decision was taken at the height of tensions between the US and Europe, with President Trump reprimanding Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House, unexpectedly opening talks with Russia, and threatening NATO allies in Europe that Washington would not be responsible for European security.
Like others in Europe, Portugal potentially believed that any F-35 fleet would rapidly become ineffective without access to American-controlled maintenance, logistical, and computer networks.
Thus, it gives the US indirect control over the F-35’s operations in service with practically any country. Amid fears that the US President could obstruct the aircraft’s operation by restricting the supply of spare parts or software upgrades, it was likely logical to shelve the purchase.
The Defense Minister dismissed the prospect of acquiring the American fifth-generation fighter, citing Trump’s unpredictability. “We cannot ignore the geopolitical environment in our choices. The recent position of the United States, in the context of NATO … must make us think about the best options, because the predictability of our allies is a greater asset to take into account,” the Minister said in an interview with a local publication.
He further highlighted, “The world has changed … and this ally of ours … could bring limitations to use, maintenance, components, and everything that has to do with ensuring that aircraft will be operational and used in all types of scenarios.”
Notably, the decision was made after Canada announced it was reconsidering the purchase of its 88 F-35A fighter jets, and politicians in countries like Denmark expressed regret over buying the aircraft amid rising tensions with the United States. Multiple European countries have since vowed to support self-sufficiency and European rearmament.
The Revival Of Eurofighter’s Fortune
The Eurofighter Typhoon, a 4.5th-generation multi-role fighter jet, seems to be undergoing a renaissance, literally. The aircraft has seen a surge in orders in late 2024 and 2025, with over 80 new aircraft contracted.
All members of the consortium, except the UK, have ordered new Typhoon fighters to ramp up their existing air power.
In addition, Turkey is now poised to become the 10th operator of the aircraft after it signed an agreement with the UK to acquire 20 Eurofighter Typhoons for nearly $11 billion. The purchase would not only help Ankara modernize but would also be a boon for European contractors.
Eurofighter Typhoon, which lost multiple contracts to Lockheed Martin F-35 in recent years, is back in the reckoning in the global combat aircraft export market.
If Portugal were to select the Eurofighter Typhoon, it would further bolster the aircraft’s reputation and make it an even more attractive option for customers seeking a European alternative to the F-35 stealth fighter jet.
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