Airbus Defence and Space presented the first Eurofighter Halcón I assembled in Getafe, which has already successfully completed engine start-up. The contract includes 20 units for the Air and Space Force, with deliveries scheduled until 2030.
The assembly line of Airbus Defence and Space in Getafe has produced the first Eurofighter Halcón I destined for the Spanish Air and Space Force. The aircraft left the hangar in early June and, on July 3, successfully completed its first engine start-up, a key milestone before its inaugural flight.
This aircraft is the first of an order for 20 fighters signed in June 2022 through NETMA, the NATO agency that manages the Eurofighter and Tornado programmes. The contract, valued at €2.043 billion, includes 16 single-seaters and four twin-seaters, as well as engines, a simulator, and support services. Deliveries are scheduled between 2026 and 2030.
The main innovation of the Halcón I is the E-Scan radar, an active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology that allows the beam to be directed almost instantaneously, improving the detection and tracking of multiple contacts. Airbus has tested this radar on a laboratory aircraft to accelerate its development.
With this batch, the planned fleet of Eurofighters in Spain will rise to 90 units, compared to the current 70. The Halcón programme is designed to facilitate the gradual retirement of the F-18s from Wing 46 at Gando Air Base (Canary Islands), although the aircraft from Getafe are not yet operational.
The Air Force declared the permanent entry into service of the Eurofighter in Gando on June 26, but those aircraft are not the new Halcón I, which have yet to fly. The Canary unit maintains a 24-hour air defence alert and began training its personnel in April 2025.
The replacement of the F-18s is not immediate: it requires adapting infrastructure to a coastal environment with high salinity and training pilots and mechanics. The goal is for the modernisation not to leave any operational gap in the surveillance of the Canary airspace.
Getafe is not only the assembly site but also supports an industrial chain with the participation of Spanish companies in manufacturing and support. A PwC study funded by Airbus estimates a cumulative impact equivalent to 26,000 jobs by 2060 for the Halcón and Quadriga programmes, with an average of 657 jobs annually.
The next step for the first Halcón I is to complete ground checks, taxi tests, and the flight campaign before military acceptance. Airbus has stated that "everything is ready for the first engine start-up and the inaugural flight," although the specific date has not been announced.
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