The Eurofighter Typhoon Fighter programme will cumulatively secure 26,000 jobs in Spain until 2060, according to a recent study by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) on the economic impact of the ‘Halcon’ and ‘Quadriga’ contracts for the country. The study, which was funded by Airbus, together with the technical support of ITP Aero, and performed independently by PWC over a period of six months until March 2023, estimates that, during its life cycle, the manufacturing phase (2020-2030) and maintenance phase (2023-2060) of the Halcon and Quadriga programmes will create on average 657 jobs – direct, indirect and induced – per year, reaching a total of 26,000 positions by 2060. This equates to a total annual employment impact of 2.7% direct jobs in the Spanish aerospace sector.

Both Eurofighter Tranche 4 contracts are expected to contribute nearly €1.7 billion to Spanish GDP, with the manufacturing and maintenance of Halcon generating approximately €1.5 billion and the production of Quadriga making up the remaining €200 million. Signed in June 2022, the Halcon contract consists of the acquisition of 20 latest-generation Eurofighter jets to replace the ageing F-18 fleet operated by the Spanish Air Force on the Canary Islands. The employment and economic contribution during both phases will generate a total tax collection of €430 million, from which €151 million will be direct contribution. Furthermore, for every euro collected directly, €2.8 of total tax revenue will be generated in the Spanish economy.

To contribute nearly €1.7 billion to Spanish GDP and to create almost 700 jobs in Spain per year. Main beneficiaries in the Community of Madrid, Basque Country, Castilla la Mancha and Andalusia. (Photo by Airbus)

The Halcon programme followed the Quadriga contract, signed in 2020, to deliver 38 new Eurofighter aircraft to the German Air Force (Luftwaffe), making Germany the country with the largest number of orders for Europe’s biggest defence programme. The Halcon programme will see the Spanish Eurofighter fleet grow to 90 aircraft, with the first delivery due in 2026, securing industrial production activity through to 2030. Quadriga secures production of the new Tranche 4 Eurofighter until 2030, with a service-life well beyond 2060. In total, the Eurofighter programme secures more than 100,000 jobs in Europe, which will be boosted through latest-generation aircraft, such as the Tranche 4, as well as in the future, through technological advances within the Eurofighter development.

The Eurofighter Typhoon is a European multinational twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter. The Typhoon was designed originally as an air-superiority fighter and is manufactured by a consortium of Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo that conducts the majority of the project through a joint holding company, Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH. The NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency, representing the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain, manages the project and is the prime customer.In 2003, Spain took delivery of its first series production aircraft. Spain received their final Tranche 3A aircraft in 2019. On 22 June 2022 Spain has ordered 20 Tranche 4 to replace the F/A-18 based in Canarias.