Spain

News and discussion threads on defence in other parts of the world.
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xav
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Re: Spain

Post by xav »

Spanish MoD Approved the Critical Design Review on Navantia S-80 Submarine
An expert panel of the Spanish Ministry of Defense has approved the Critical Design Review (CDR) of S-80 class diesel-electric submarines (SSK) being built by Navantia shipyard in Cartagena. This is a major step for the future of the program since the submarine re-design is now validated and frozen and the programme can transition back to production.
http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.ph ... ew&id=4221

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GibMariner
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Re: Spain

Post by GibMariner »

Spanish Armed Forces feeling the squeeze after almost 270 days without a government:

http://www.elconfidencialdigital.com/de ... 22086.html (in Spanish - Google translate does a decent enough job to understand it).

Some of the issues talked about in the article:

[*]Lack of spare parts for the air force leading to increased cannibalisation of existing airframes.

[*]Cancellations of contracts for things like engineering support for the air force's weapons systems, maintenance of a skydiving simulator, maintenance for their F-18s; maintenance of electronic warfare systems and even buying shoes.

[*]Cancellation of a contract for the purchase of spare parts for the Army's Pizarro (ASCOD) AFVs.

[*]The underlying problem of the Spanish government being unable to pay the loans it had taken out to fund things like the Eurofighter Typhoons, Leopard tanks, S-80 submarine programme and the F-100 frigates among others. The paper calculates the total owed by the Spanish government to the arms industry is 27 billion euros, and has been unable to pay a couple of years' worth of loans.

[*]They quote a high-ranking naval officer as a source who warns that further budget restrictions due to the political gridlock continuing will lead to operational issues.

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GibMariner
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Re: Spain

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Spanish frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón replaces sister ship Méndez Núñez as SNMG1 flagship:

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GibMariner
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Re: Spain

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Spanish LHD Juan Carlos I departs Rota for amphibious exercises off Sardinia

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GibMariner
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Re: Spain

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Santa María-class frigate Victoria (F82) conducted SM-1 missile training in the Gulf of Cadiz:

arfah
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Re: Spain

Post by arfah »

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GibMariner
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Re: Spain

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Spain to develop FCAS 'system of systems' to replace Hornet fighters
The Spanish Air Force (Ejército del Aire Español (EdAE)) is looking to develop a new "system of systems" to replace its Boeing F/A-18 Hornet fighters in the 2030 timeframe, a senior service official said on 15 November.

Speaking under the Chatham House Rule, the official said that the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) will comprise three parts, made up of about 50 legacy Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 Eurofighter Typhoons that have been upgraded to network with a fifth-generation aircraft; a new fifth-generation aircraft (type and numbers to be decided); and an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (type and numbers to be decided).
http://www.janes.com/article/65514/spai ... t-fighters

dmereifield
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Re: Spain

Post by dmereifield »

GibMariner wrote:Spain to develop FCAS 'system of systems' to replace Hornet fighters
The Spanish Air Force (Ejército del Aire Español (EdAE)) is looking to develop a new "system of systems" to replace its Boeing F/A-18 Hornet fighters in the 2030 timeframe, a senior service official said on 15 November.

Speaking under the Chatham House Rule, the official said that the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) will comprise three parts, made up of about 50 legacy Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 Eurofighter Typhoons that have been upgraded to network with a fifth-generation aircraft; a new fifth-generation aircraft (type and numbers to be decided); and an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (type and numbers to be decided).
http://www.janes.com/article/65514/spai ... t-fighters
Does that pretty much mean they will acquire some F35's then?
?

bobp
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Re: Spain

Post by bobp »

I think you could be correct, how many F35B they order will depend on funding available. Probably only 6-12 Airframes.

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GibMariner
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Re: Spain

Post by GibMariner »

The free Jane's preview above only mentions replacement of the Spanish Air Force's F/A-18 Hornets, but if they do intend to keep in the fixed-wing carrier aviation game (IIRC, there is/was a life extension programme for the Spanish Navy's Matadors, that would see them through to the mid-2020s), the F-35B is the way to go.

Just speculation at this stage, but perhaps a small purchase of ~12 F-35B to replace the 12 Matadors and ~50 F-35A + UCAV to replace the ~80 Hornets.

Perhaps by then they could even get their hands on some second-hand USAF F-35As or USMC F-35Bs?

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GibMariner
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Re: Spain

Post by GibMariner »

Just seen Gareth Jennings, the author of the Jane's article tweet the following:


The free preview to the article has also been expanded to include the following:
The FCAS effort will begin with a broad definition phase that will include a preliminary FCAS analysis (designated Iteration 1). This will be followed by an investigation (Iteration 2) that includes a concept of operations and the FCAS design. A convergence study (Iteration 3) will bring together the elements of the previous studies, with a consolidation phase (Iteration 4) completing the study.

The EdAE's current Typhoon force is comprised of 17 Tranche 1, and 33 Tranche 2 aircraft, with deliveries of 20 Tranche 3 aircraft to begin shortly. While the Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 performance enhancement (PE) packages have followed the lines of the multinational Eurofighter consortium, those for the Tranche 1 aircraft have not. As the official explained, the EdAE was dissatisfied with the scope and the pace of these earlier PE upgrades, and so decided to go its own route.

For the second element in the FCAS system-of-systems, there is currently no fifth-generation Program of Record for the EdAE. However, it is highly likely that the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) will form the basis of this particular element. Interestingly, the official noted that with the Spanish Navy looking to retire its carrier-borne McDonnell-Douglas AV-8B Harrier II in the not-too-distant future, any fifth-generation requirement would be a joint affair between the services.
http://www.janes.com/article/65514/spai ... t-fighters

dmereifield
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Re: Spain

Post by dmereifield »

60+ airframes would be a nice little earner for UK plc...

dmereifield
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Re: Spain

Post by dmereifield »

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10 ... ar-madrid/

Another tragic accident. Is there a reason why such incidents have seemingly occurred relatively frequently with the Spanish airforce?

abc123
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Re: Spain

Post by abc123 »

dmereifield wrote:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10 ... ar-madrid/

Another tragic accident. Is there a reason why such incidents have seemingly occurred relatively frequently with the Spanish airforce?
It's hard to say, but in general, having year after year with spending of 0,9-1,1% GDP for defence can't be good...
Fortune favors brave sir, said Carrot cheerfully.
What's her position about heavily armed, well prepared and overmanned armies?
Oh, noone's ever heard of Fortune favoring them, sir.
According to General Tacticus, it's because they favor themselves…

marktigger
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Re: Spain

Post by marktigger »

I suspect the Spannish govt have more pressing problems at minute and they have the possibility of spiralling out of control.

dmereifield
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Re: Spain

Post by dmereifield »

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articl ... nados.html

Spain to consider replacing their F18's with Eurofighter, apparently

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ArmChairCivvy
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Re: Spain

Post by ArmChairCivvy »

From that linked article " the incorporation of the electronic scanning radar (ESCAN), the relationship with the air combat system of the future (FCAS / NGWS)"
- the first upgrade will fall within Tr3
- but the latter... are we on our way to Tr3.5?
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)

abc123
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Re: Spain

Post by abc123 »

I think they will buy F-35 too, if anything, because of JCI airgroup.
Fortune favors brave sir, said Carrot cheerfully.
What's her position about heavily armed, well prepared and overmanned armies?
Oh, noone's ever heard of Fortune favoring them, sir.
According to General Tacticus, it's because they favor themselves…

Lord Jim
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Re: Spain

Post by Lord Jim »

They only need about twelve F-35Bs to replace their small Harrier fleet or whatever they call them. So it will probably be a split buy and will not replace both the Harriers and EF-18s on a one for one basis with the F-35B and Typhoon respectively..

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SKB
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Re: Spain

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Strangely, they name their Harriers the Matador, a bloke who kills bulls.

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ArmChairCivvy
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Re: Spain

Post by ArmChairCivvy »

Lord Jim wrote: a split buy and will not replace both the Harriers and EF-18s on a one for one basis with the F-35B and Typhoon respectively..
12 is not exactly a fleet
... make it so, by sharing the basing and maintenance with the Italian navy (who, of course, are having to do exactly that with the AF fleet of "A"s)
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)

abc123
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Re: Spain

Post by abc123 »

Lord Jim wrote:They only need about twelve F-35Bs to replace their small Harrier fleet or whatever they call them. So it will probably be a split buy and will not replace both the Harriers and EF-18s on a one for one basis with the F-35B and Typhoon respectively..
Agreed. But say 24+ Tranche 3 and 30-40 F-35Bs in some sort Joint Force for both the Navy and Air Force might. Not maybe one for one basis, of course, but it might be argued that quality will replace quantity in that case.
Fortune favors brave sir, said Carrot cheerfully.
What's her position about heavily armed, well prepared and overmanned armies?
Oh, noone's ever heard of Fortune favoring them, sir.
According to General Tacticus, it's because they favor themselves…

abc123
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Re: Spain

Post by abc123 »

Spanish pitching their F-105 class frigates to the USN:

https://navaltoday.com/2019/01/04/spain ... m-lincoln/
Fortune favors brave sir, said Carrot cheerfully.
What's her position about heavily armed, well prepared and overmanned armies?
Oh, noone's ever heard of Fortune favoring them, sir.
According to General Tacticus, it's because they favor themselves…

abc123
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Re: Spain

Post by abc123 »

Construction of five new F-110 class frigates starts in May:

Image

Image

https://navaltoday.com/2019/01/21/spain ... es-in-may/

I hope that they will learn something from the Norwegians... ;)
Fortune favors brave sir, said Carrot cheerfully.
What's her position about heavily armed, well prepared and overmanned armies?
Oh, noone's ever heard of Fortune favoring them, sir.
According to General Tacticus, it's because they favor themselves…

abc123
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Re: Spain

Post by abc123 »

Sixth BAM-class vessel Furor commissioned:

https://navaltoday.com/2019/01/21/spani ... hip-furor/
Fortune favors brave sir, said Carrot cheerfully.
What's her position about heavily armed, well prepared and overmanned armies?
Oh, noone's ever heard of Fortune favoring them, sir.
According to General Tacticus, it's because they favor themselves…

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