Portugal Confirms U.S. F-35 as Preferred Fighter Jet to Replace Aging F-16 Fleet.

Portugal is moving toward the acquisition of between 14 and 28 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters to replace its aging F-16AM/BM fleet, according to comments by the Air Force chief published on December 19, 2025. The move would represent Portugal’s most significant airpower modernization in decades, aligning it more closely with NATO's fifth-generation combat capabilities.

Portugal is taking concrete steps toward a generational shift in its combat aviation, with the Lockheed Martin F-35 emerging as the leading candidate to replace the Portuguese Air Force’s long-serving F-16 AM/BM Fighting Falcon fighter jets. In an interview published by Diário de Notícias on December 19, 2025, Air Force Chief of Staff General João Cartaxo Alves confirmed that Lisbon plans to acquire between 14 and 28 fifth-generation fighters under the country’s Military Programming Law, signaling a decisive commitment to advanced air combat capabilities and long-term NATO interoperability.
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A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II in flight during a demonstration in the U.S. Portugal is expected to join the growing list of European operators of the fifth-generation stealth fighter as part of its long-awaited modernization of the Air Force’s combat fleet. (Picture source: U.S. Department of War)

For Portugal, this decision comes after years of delay and operational strain. “The Air Force has never had an aircraft in active service for so many consecutive years,” General Alves noted. “Thirty-one years for the most recent F-16s, nearly forty for others. The replacement process should have begun two decades ago.” While other NATO allies, such as Norway and Denmark, began their transition to the F-35 as early as 2008, Lisbon postponed decisive action until now.

The move reflects far more than a simple aircraft swap. General Alves emphasized that replacing the F-16s must be part of a wider architecture focused on network-centric warfare and interoperability with NATO allies. “Connectivity is fundamental,” he said. “Either we operate in real time, with access to all data flows, or we cannot cope with the threats that exist today.”

The interview highlights Portugal’s growing understanding that acquiring the F-35 is not merely about owning a stealth aircraft but integrating into a full-spectrum, AI-enhanced defense ecosystem. “What do these systems connect to?” General Alves asked rhetorically. “We need new radars, integrated air defense systems, and automated prioritization algorithms. Otherwise, the investment is fragmented and ineffective.”

The SAFE program (Sistema de Atividades de Força Aérea e Espaço), Portugal’s strategic initiative for air and space defense, is being leveraged to upgrade early warning systems, including new radar installations in the Azores, and to procure advanced ground-based air defense assets. These steps aim to ensure that any F-35 fleet does not operate in isolation but within a digitally fused battlespace where fighters, SAM systems, and ISR assets share real-time intelligence.

While General Alves stopped short of formally naming the F-35 as the definitive choice, all strategic indicators point in that direction. The F-35’s integration with NATO command networks, its role as a data node in modern conflicts, and its widespread adoption across Europe all make it the natural selection. Portugal would join countries such as Italy, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the UK in operating the fifth-generation jet, reinforcing European interoperability under the NATO umbrella.

The strategic calculus also involves cost. As General Alves noted, nations like Israel have shown the sheer expense of modern air defense, spending up to €3 billion in a single night to protect urban centers from missile saturation. That level of threat environment, increasingly visible in both the Middle East and Eastern Europe, necessitates full-spectrum defense postures. “We can no longer afford to fire two missiles at the same target,” Alves stated. “This is why algorithmic targeting and AI-enhanced defense logic are critical.”

For Portugal, this acquisition would not only modernize its fighter fleet but also serve as a broader force multiplier across the entire defense apparatus. The ability to contribute meaningfully to NATO’s deterrence posture, particularly in the North Atlantic theater, hinges on these capabilities. The Azores archipelago, a key geostrategic outpost, will play an increasingly central role in early warning and missile defense as new systems are brought online.

While no contract has yet been signed, sources within the Portuguese Ministry of National Defense suggest that formal negotiations with the United States are in an advanced stage. A Letter of Request under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program is expected in early 2026, with initial deliveries possible by 2029 if funding and approvals align.

What remains clear is that Portugal has now crossed the threshold. After years of strategic hesitance, Lisbon appears ready to re-enter the front ranks of NATO airpower, fully embracing the fifth-generation paradigm. For the Portuguese Air Force, this modernization drive may come late, but not too late.

Current Fighter Aircraft in Portuguese Air Force Inventory

As of late 2025, the primary combat aircraft in service with the Portuguese Air Force remains the F-16 Fighting Falcon, with a total of 28 F-16AM/BM (Mid-Life Update) variants operational. These aircraft were originally delivered under the Peace Atlantis I and II programs from the early 1990s, and while they have undergone incremental upgrades, their aging airframes and outdated mission systems increasingly limit operational effectiveness in a rapidly evolving threat environment.

The F-16s are based at Air Base No. 5 (BA5) in Monte Real, operating under Esquadra 201 “Falcões” and Esquadra 301 “Jaguares.” These squadrons are responsible for both air defense and international NATO missions, including Baltic Air Policing rotations and deployments under the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF).

Although technically capable, the F-16 fleet lacks the low observability, advanced sensors, and integrated data-sharing capabilities of newer platforms like the F-35. This growing technological gap, coupled with the increasing maintenance burden, underscores the urgency behind Portugal’s long-overdue modernization decision.

Portugal’s expected selection of the F-35 further consolidates a clear trend across Europe. The American-built fifth-generation stealth fighter has become the de facto standard for NATO-aligned air forces seeking a future-proof, combat-proven multirole platform. With the Czech Republic, Poland, Finland, and Germany all recently joining the F-35 user community, and Switzerland and Greece already on track for acquisition, the aircraft is rapidly becoming the cornerstone of European aerial defense.

Its ability to act as an ISR hub, integrate seamlessly into joint NATO operations, and support nuclear sharing missions has made it far more than a fighter. It is now a strategic asset at the heart of allied airpower. For smaller nations like Portugal, its adoption also offers access to shared logistics, joint training, and streamlined coalition interoperability.

In choosing the U.S. F-35 fighter jet, Portugal is not just buying aircraft. It is committing to a digitally integrated alliance of airpower that is set to define Europe’s air combat architecture for the next three decades.