F-35, other ‘options’ on table during Portugal’s F-16 replacement analysis: Air Force General

A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II assigned to the F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team performs a practice aerial demonstration prior to the Warriors Over the Wasatch Air Show at Hill Air Force Base, Utah (US Air Force)

LISBON — A senior Portuguese Air Force official says that the service is looking at “all the options,” including the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jet, to decide on a best fit to replace ageing fleet of F-16s.

But, Maj. Gen. Joao Nogueira cautioned, the Portuguese Air Force has yet to carry out a “pros and cons” analysis of individual competitors, something central to informing any political decision on selection — meaning a decission is still a ways away.

There is “a stamp [of approval] that is glued with F-35 related with the fifth generation…of course we need to look” at evaluating the aircraft, Nogueira, the Portuguese Air Force’s director of weapon systems maintenance, told Breaking Defense and other media in Lisbon, during an Embraer media trip on Wednesday. (Like other outlets, Breaking Defense accepted travel and accommodations from the manufacturer for the trip.)

Nogueira added that the F-35 assessment is required because other nations that acquired the F-16 have since gone on to replace them with the fifth-generation jet, though that trend, he added, does not discount the need to widen the net and assess the capabilities of other platforms.

Although Europe can offer a range of less capable alternatives to the F-35, including the Eurofighter Typhoon, Sweden’s Gripen and France’s Rafale, Noguiera did not mention any of them specifically. According to figures shared with Diario de Noticias in 2024 by Chief of Staff of the Portuguese Air Force General João Guilherme Rosado Cartaxo Alves, an F-35 acquisition to replace up to 28 F-16s could cost €5.5 billion ($5.9 billion).

“We need to analyze what the other ones can do or cannot do, because in the end, we need to say or take the decision if we were willing to [commit to option] A, B or C,” he explained.

“There’s pros and cons that we need to put inside our [F-16 replacement] analysis, and, of course, put to politicians all the information they need…in order to take those decisions, that are not easy.”

It remains unclear when a new aircraft selection decision will be made by Lisbon, especially as elections are taking place in May but a clear pro and con aspect to be studied is the current relationship between Europe and the United States.

After the F-35 appearing to be the favored choice of Portugal, a future acquisition was thrown into doubt after outgoing Defense Minister Nuno Melo told local paper Publico that the “recent position of the United States, in the context of NATO and in the international geostrategic plan, must make us think about the best [F-16 replacement] options, because the predictability of our allies is a greater asset to take into account.”

He also suggested that the US could potentially limit F-35 “use, maintenance [and] components.” Such concerns led the Pentagon and Lockheed Martin to debunk reports of a F-35 ‘kill switch’ in a bid to reassure international partners that the combat capabilities of their jets cannot be deactivated or limited by US authorities.

The Trump administration’s skepticism of NATO, interest in repairing ties with Russia and demand that European allies invest more in their own security have lead to a significant rearmament push across the continent, and a rethink around investment in US weapon systems.

Earlier this month, Armando Seixas Ferreira, a spokesperson for Portugal’s Office of the Minister of National Defense, told Breaking Defense in a statement that five key considerations apply to the country’s F-16 replacement plan; geopolitical conditions, “the scope” of any aircraft restrictions, “options” available from Europe and North America, likely domestic economic returns and the potential for aircraft to be adapted to meet NATO requirements.