“We cannot ignore the geopolitical environment in our choices,” Portuguese defense minister Nuno Melo told a local news outlet.
Could the domestic politics in one country affect the military spending of another? Although strange, it appears as though this may have happened in Portugal.
Lisbon—a member of NATO and longtime ally of the United States—appears to have decided not to buy F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets in response to the hostile political atmosphere in the United States, according to the country’s outgoing defense minister.
Portuguese Officials: “We Will Think About It”
The Portuguese Air Force is looking for a new fighter jet to take it into the 21st century, and the service’s leadership believes that the F-35 Lightning II should be that fighter jet. But the country’s current elected government potentially thinks otherwise.
According to the country’s outgoing defense minister—who is stepping down prior to the country’s parliamentary elections on May 18—U.S. domestic politics and foreign policy might force Lisbon to turn to other platforms for its future fighter aircraft. Speaking to the Portuguese media Público, outgoing Defense Minister Nuno Melo raised questions on whether Lisbon would follow the recommendation of the Portuguese Air Force to purchase the F-35 Lightning II as its next-generation fighter jet.
“We cannot ignore the geopolitical environment in our choices,” Melo said to the local outlet. “The recent position of the United States, in the context of NATO. . . must make us think about the best options, because the predictability of our allies is a greater asset to take into account.”
The F-35 Did Brisk Business In Europe—Until Now
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program currently includes 20 countries from across the world, including NATO member states. Most of the participants in the F-35 program hail from Europe, including Italy, Germany, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Poland, Greece, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
“Lockheed Martin values our strong partnership and history with the Portuguese Air Force and looks forward to continuing that partnership into the future,” a spokesperson for the defense and aerospace giant said in response to the news. “The F-35 is the most advanced, survivable and connected fighter aircraft in the world, enabling 21st Century Security and allied deterrence. Questions about foreign military sales of the F-35 are best addressed by the U.S. government.”
When asked about the possibility of stopping the procurement of F-35 Lightning II fighter jets, Dutch Minister of Defense Ruben Brekelmans said that it is to the best interest of NATO to ensure that the program remains active.
“It’s in the interest of all of us to make sure that the F-35 program remains operational, that it remains as successful as it is right now, and I don’t see any signs of the United States backtracking,” the Dutch defense official said.
The Portuguese Air Force currently flies the F-16 Fighting Falcon, which is also manufactured by Lockheed Martin, as its main fighter jet. Portugal has a long history of procuring U.S.-made fighter jets, with the venerable Vought A-7 Corsair being its main fighter jet for decades before it was retired in the late 1990s.
Whether Portugal will keep the tradition of buying American-made fighter jets remains to be seen.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing inspecial operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured inBusiness Insider,Sandboxx, andSOFREP.
Image: Shutterstock / Victor Maschek.