The decision comes after the tension between Madrid and Washington
The aircraft are made by US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin
MADRID: Spain has decided against purchasing US-made F-35 fighter jets and will instead opt for European-made options, the defense ministry said Wednesday, confirming a report in El Pais newspaper.
The decision comes after the tension between Madrid and Washington over Spain’s refusal to raise defense spending to 5.0 percent of economic output, as demanded by US President Donald Trump.
El Pais reported earlier Wednesday, citing unnamed government sources, that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s leftist government had shelved plans to buy the F-35 jets and would explore European alternatives.
