The two European aerospace giants have advertised their respective aircraft, the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Rafale, but the United States has not given up on pitching the F-35, either.

NATO member Portugal is now evaluating its options as it seeks to replace its legacy fleet of approximately two dozen upgraded F-16M Fighting Falcon multirole fighters. It was more than a year and a half ago that Lisbon announced it would not move forward with a deal with Lockheed Martin to buy the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II, citing concerns over US policy unpredictability under the Trump administration and risks of restricted access to software upgrades and spare parts for the aircraft.

Instead, Portugal has leaned towards European-built alternatives, with two top-tier contenders emerging: the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Rafale. In addition to the offerings from Airbus and Dassault, Saab has also touted the capabilities of its JAS 39 Gripen-E.

The Portuguese Air Force is reported to now operate 21 frontline single-seat F-16As and four twin-seat F-16B trainers, with the aircraft previously upgraded through a Mid-Life Update to the F-16M standard. Still, the Fighting Falcons aren’t exactly spring chickens, ranging in age from 31 to 42 years. This is roughly the operational service life of an F-16, and underscores the urgency of buying a replacement.

On Thursday, Airbus announced it would submit an unsolicited proposal by late October or early November for the Eurofighter, highlighting how it would better fit the needs of the Portuguese Air Force than the more expensive F-35. The pitch to the Portuguese government includes “public and private financing solutions” that could also include industrial participation and technology sharing. Airbus also noted that the purchase could strengthen Portugal’s ties to neighboring Spain, which is a partner on the Typhoon, as well as to Italy and the UK, with the latter being Lisbon’s longest-standing ally.

However, France’s Dassault Aviation has also ramped up its efforts with the NATO member nation, and signed an agreement with Portuguese industry this week.

“Dassault signed an agreement with AED Cluster Portugal, a trade organization also charged with establishing an aerospace ecosystem in the country,” Aviation Week reported, noting that it follows a formal but previously unreported submission from Paris to Lisbon.

AED has signed similar agreements with Airbus and Saab, but also with Lockheed Martin—meaning that the F-35 shouldn’t be considered out of the running at this point.

The US Has Sought to Lure Lisbon Back to the F-35

Portuguese officials have softened their tone regarding the F-35, so it is possible Lisbon could change course and opt for the fifth-generation stealth fighter.

The Lightning II had long been considered the default successor to the F-16, as the F-35 has been widely adopted across Europe. US diplomats, led by Ambassador to Portugal John Arrigo earlier this year, renewed pressure for Lisbon to adopt the F-35 to ensure it maintained top-tier NATO interoperability. In addition, in Portuguese Air Force internal technical assessments, the F-35A—the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant of the Joint Strike Fighter—ranked first of all tested aircraft across 20 key evaluation criteria.

Given the highly competitive situation, the European aircraft makers have shifted their marketing efforts into high gear, pitching their respective offerings as more cost-effective for routine air policing missions, NATO quick reaction alerts, and national airspace protection—rather than the deep-strike offensive capabilities built into stealth jets like the F-35.

Regardless of what company is selected, it would be for a fairly small number of aircraft—likely only two dozen or so, replacing the F-16 fleet. Still, in the aerospace world, there may be no such thing as a small contract, particularly after years of spare parts and support are factored in. For Lockheed Martin, it may want to retain its spot as the primary NATO aircraft.

Still, Sweden’s Saab and France’s Dassault continue to be pitched as an alternative to the F-35, providing 4.5+ generation options at a lower cost. The multinational Eurofighter Typhoon could allow Portugal to strengthen its defense, political, and industrial ties with key European partners while meeting its specific national airspace and NATO air-policing needs.

One way or another, Lisbon has a few years to weigh its options—and plenty of partners to choose from!

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines, and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author at Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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