Gando Air Base, located in the Canary Islands and home to Wing 46, has launched the implementation plan for the Eurofighter Tranche 4, which will replace the veteran EF-18 Hornet fighters that have been in service since the 1980s. The process, officially announced by the Spanish Air and Space Force, aims to ensure an orderly transition to the new weapons system, with a comprehensive focus on pilot and maintenance personnel training.
The arrival of the Eurofighter in Gando is part of the Halcón I and II programs, which include the acquisition of 45 new Eurofighter Tranche 4 aircraft for the Air and Space Force. The first agreement was signed in 2022, establishing the purchase of an initial batch of 20 aircraft. Two years later, the program was expanded with the signing between the Spanish government and NATO’s Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) for an additional batch of 25 units.
In this way, Spain will reach a fleet of 115 Eurofighters, all assembled at Airbus facilities in Getafe, prioritizing a strong industrial and technological impact on national defense.
The EF-18 Hornets, incorporated in the 1980s, have been the backbone of Spanish air defense for more than 40 years, participating in NATO missions, international deployments, and Baltic Air Policing operations. However, their gradual retirement will mark the end of an era, to be replaced by a weapons system that promises to ensure the continuity of Spain’s aerial capabilities within the European and Atlantic framework.
It is worth noting that the location where these new aircraft will be based is not coincidental but rather responds to the strategic positioning of Gando Air Base in the Canary archipelago, making the unit a key point for the defense of NATO’s southern flank and the projection of air power toward Africa and the Atlantic.
Finally, the transition plan includes intensive maintenance personnel training through the Eurofighter Family Course, initially conducted at Morón Air Base (Wing 11), where students will receive theoretical and practical instruction over nine months. In addition, adaptations to the PERAM (Maintenance Standardization and Regulation Plans) standards will be implemented to ensure that the base is fully prepared to operate the new air superiority fighter.
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