Ejército del Aire Hornets
Spain’s Ejército del Aire operates a well-balanced fighter force of EF-18M/ F/A-18A+ Hornets and Eurofighter Typhoons. Salvador Mafé Huertas assesses the Spanish Hornet fleet, active within three frontline wings.
The Ejército del Aire (Spanish Air Force) received a total of 86 EF-18 and F/A-18 Hornets. The first 72 EF-18A/Bs acquired from 1986 to 1992 under the Futuro Avión de Combate (FACA) programme were followed by 24 secondhand (ex-US Navy and Marine Corps) F/A- 18As during 1995-2000 as part of the CX programme that initially set out to replace the F/RF-5A Freedom Fighters of Ala 21.