The Eurofighter’s role in defence, industry and sovereignty
From high-tech manufacturing facilities to rapid NATO response, the Eurofighter programme, in which Airbus is a major industrial partner, is driving innovation and creating jobs while providing security for Europe.
"Our security is not only built within our borders, but begins in distant places where certain threats to national interests originate."
Colonel Sánchez Caamaño, Head of the 14th Wing of the Spanish Air Force.
In the early hours of 13 February, a palpable tension filled the Romanian skies. At 00:30 local time, radars picked up an unidentified aerial vehicle from Russia – which briefly crossed into Romanian airspace before returning to Ukraine.
In the midst of the alert, two pilots from the 14th Wing of the Spanish Air and Space Force sprang into action at Kogalniceanu air base. Within minutes, their Eurofighter Typhoons were in the air. Although the alert was over by 01:10 and the jets soon returned to base, their rapid activation underlined a vital commitment: to protect NATO's eastern flank and act as a powerful deterrent.
A backbone of European security
At a time where security threats are rapidly evolving, having a European-built air defence system makes a difference. The Eurofighter’s multi-role capabilities allow it to perform air policing, deterrence and combat missions, all essential to safeguarding European airspace.
In 2024, NATO air forces across Europe scrambled well over 300 times to intercept Russian military aircraft approaching Alliance airspace.
The Spanish Eurofighters in Romania form part of NATO's enhanced Persistent Effort air policing operation. These jets operate alongside those of allies, reinforcing the alliance’s eastern borders. The German Air Force Eurofighters have been part of these missions since 2023, with deployments in Romania and certain Baltic countries, for example working hand in hand with Spanish pilots in Estonia.
Allies keep some fighter aircraft units in permanent Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) status, which indicates a high state of readiness.
"We have to defend the skies of allies who lack this capability.”
Lieutenant Carlos Sánchez, a Spanish Eurofighter pilot from the 11th Wing, who was temporarily deployed to Ämari, Estonia, at the end of 2023.
The six Spanish Eurofighters deployed at Kohalniceanu Air Base have flown over 200 sorties in more than two months, some with air-to-air refuelling from an A400M. (Below) A total of 138 Eurofighters Air Force form the backbone of the German combat aircraft fleet.
Supporting national industry and employment
But the Eurofighter is more than just a fighter jet – it is a symbol of technological excellence, industrial strength and strategic autonomy. A joint effort between Germany, Spain, the UK and Italy, the programme is at the heart of European defence and a key pillar of national industry.
The programme's partner companies – Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo – manage industrial suppliers employing more than 100,000 skilled workers, engineers, technicians and factory workers in some 400 companies across Europe.
According to a report published by PwC, the Eurofighter programme is expected to contribute €58 billion to the GDP of the four core nations' economies over the next decade and generate €14 billion in tax revenues for their respective governments.
Airbus manufactures the Eurofighter in Manching (left) near Ingolstadt (for the German Air Force) and in Getafe (right) near Madrid (for the Spanish Air Force). BAE Systems and Leonardo produce the aircraft in the UK (Warton) and Italy (Turin) respectively.
Airbus’ manufacturing sites in Manching and Getafe are home to some of the most advanced aerospace facilities in the world, where cutting-edge technology meets the precision of skilled craftsmanship.
Contracts such as Spain's Halcón II and the expected German Tranche 5 order are essential to maintaining the expertise and strategic capability needed to develop and produce these state-of-the-art fighters. They also strengthen Europe's ability to compete globally in the defence sector.
“Our Eurofighters are used every day to ensure Europe's security and strategic autonomy, and the technical capabilities of the new Quadriga/Halcón Eurofighter make it the most advanced combat aircraft built in Europe. Without such evolutionary programmes, Germany and Spain would risk losing key technical capabilities, which would affect part of the national aerospace and defence industry and have a negative impact on innovation."
Andreas Hammer, Head of Combat Air Systems, Airbus Defence and Space
Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles and Airbus in Spain President Francisco Javier Sánchez Segura during the Eurofighter Halcon II programme signature event at the Airbus site in Getafe, Madrid, on 20 December 2024.
A future-proof aircraft
With continuous upgrades, the Eurofighter will be equipped with the advanced E-Scan active electronic scanning radar, which will improve the Eurofighter's capabilities in air-to-air and air-to-ground operations and also equip it with electronic warfare functions.
The long-term evolution capability development programme of the four core nations will also see the modernisation of key components, from the cockpit to increased computing power. [read the story #EurofighterNextGen: Taking the Eurofighter to the next level]
The aircraft will also be part of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), where it will fly in a network with uncrewed and crewed platforms. This makes the Eurofighter the logical platform for bringing FCAS technologies and operational concepts to maturity, including plans of teaming with drones in the early 2030s. The aim is to ensure that Eurofighter remains at the forefront of air combat for decades to come.
Eurofighter will be the natural bridge to the European FCAS.
A strategic asset for a united Europe
As the Spanish 14th Wing squadron completes its mission over Romania in the coming weeks, these allied operations send a clear message: Europe must be ready, capable and united. The Eurofighter programme is more than a defence initiative. It is a demonstration of industrial resilience, national sovereignty and a commitment to European security.
"The defence of Spain and its citizens inevitably begins with our own efforts, but increasingly it means promoting, projecting and sharing the security that we are privileged to enjoy, thanks to the efforts of those men and women who make up the Armed Forces."
Colonel Sánchez Caamaño, Commander of the 14th Squadron of the Spanish Air Force.
