By Admin 
After India, now America has also suffered a big setback from Europe. The expectations of the Donald Trump administration were shocked when Spain and Switzerland flatly refused to buy the US 5th generation fighter aircraft F-35. Both countries have given a new direction to their defense strategy, expressing confidence in European options instead.
Spain and Switzerland’s recent decisions have made Europe’s attitude towards distance from the American F-35 fighter aircraft. This step is not only due to controversy on prices, but also concerns about America’s “Sustainment Monopoli”, which will control America on all future upgrades, software and operational data. This situation arises strategic risk in changing political situation.
Spain’s shocking decision
Spain suddenly abolished the plan to buy their F-35. Earlier it was believed that Madrid would buy F-35B for his Navy’s Juan Carlos I aircraft career, but now he has canceled the scheme. Instead, Spain has decided to buy 25 new Eurofighters typhoon and emphasize Future Combat Air System (FCAS).
This decision will weaken the naval strength of Spain at the moment because now it will not have a real fifth generation aircraft for the next ten years. But the domestic industry will benefit from this. Spain will strengthen its supply chain, employment and technical capacity by investing billions of euros in European programs and all this will be in European ownership.
Increasing dissatisfaction in Switzerland
Switzerland approved the purchase of 36 F-35A aircraft by holding a referendum in 2022, priced at around 6 billion Swiss Francs. But by the end of 2023, the situation started changing. The US told Swiss authorities in secret briefing that the contract is not completely fixed and prices may increase by 650 million or more if inflation and material cost increases. After this, Washington also put new tariffs on Swiss exports. This reduced the trust in the deal and now many leaders in the burn are demanding to reduce the deal or cancel the completely.
Europe’s challenge and chance
Spain has an industrial capacity and political will to pursue FCAS. At the same time, Switzerland has neither such an industry nor defense ambition, so the decision in front of him is difficult – cheap option or safe supply chain. But the concern of the two countries is the same – despite the technical superiority of F -35, this aircraft takes a huge risk in terms of cost, security and control.
F-35 vs Eurofighter & FCAS
F-35 has long been alleged to have made a kind of “monopoli” by Lockheed Martin. Software upgrades and changes are only with American permission and lifestyle costs are constantly increasing.
Conversely, the Eurofighter Typhoon is still a competent and upgradable multi-roll aircraft, which is in European ownership. At the same time, FCAS is currently in the research and development phase, but it will have sixth generation features-such as stealth, human-human teaming, advanced electronic warfare and cloud-based command system. It will be completely under European control.
Strategic message
Buying F -35 means to be completely tied to the American system – where the US will control the future upgrade and operational data. This can be acceptable until the relations between America and Europe are strong. But if incidents like political differences or tariffs increase, then it can become a big threat to Europe.
Spain’s decision is not just based on price or industrial interest. This is a kind of “future insurance policy” – it is better to pay the price right now to lose strategic freedom in future. The situation is different for Switzerland, but he is now understanding that his so-called fixed-pris contract was not as sure as it was believed.
India also shocked America
India is also taking a big step towards becoming self -sufficient in engine manufacturing for indigenous fighter jets. India, in collaboration with the French company Safran, will develop a powerful engine of 120 Kn, which will give strength to the fifth generation Sttleth fighter jets. This deal will further strengthen the strategic partnership of India-France, while the US was shocked as the Trump administration was hoping that India would buy GE 414 engines.