Portugal seriously considering F-35 offer to replace ageing F-16 fleet
Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said Portugal would choose a replacement for its F-16 fleet based on national interests, with the US F-35 offer among the options under consideration.
Lisbon, Portugal. Portugal is seriously considering a US offer of F-35 fighter jets alongside other options to replace its ageing F-16 fleet, Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said on Thursday. Speaking after meeting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Lisbon, he said the decision would be based on national interests.
Replacement decision
Portugal has yet to launch a formal tender to replace its 28 upgraded F-16M fighter jets. Competition is already tense for a deal that would deepen Lisbon’s defence ties with either European or US partners.
“The Portuguese state will always decide in accordance with the national interest. There is one point that is also clear: we are seriously considering the F-35 proposal, just as we are considering others,” Rangel told a news conference after the meeting.
Competing aircraft
Lockheed Martin’s F-35, widely seen by defence analysts as the leading contender, faces competition from the Eurofighter Typhoon, manufactured by Airbus, Britain’s BAE Systems and Italy’s Leonardo.
Other alternatives include Dassault Aviation’s Rafale and Saab’s Gripen E.
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