Alongside Spain’s Eagle Patrol, Italy's Frecce Tricolori demo team and the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows participated in the show. Held at San Javier Airport last month on June 14-15, other participants included Switzerland's Patrouille Suisse demo team and a Spanish AF helicopter demonstration team.
The military lineup boasted a CH-47 Chinook, F-5 Tiger, Eurofighter, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-18 Hornet, AV-8B Harrier, Predator drone, and Tiger Attack helicopter. Following Aire25, the Eagle Patrol retired its CASA/Airbus C-101 jet after nearly five decades of service. Lieutenant Óscar Sanz commented: "The C-101 is much more than just an aircraft. With the exception of the last two graduating classes, all Spanish Air Force pilots have learned to fly in this aircraft."
Bird strikes pose significant risks due to their impact energy during transonic or supersonic flights. They can cause severe damage to aircraft components like canopies. While exact costs for canopy replacements are not publicly available, they can potentially reach millions of dollars depending on damage extent and market rates for parts and labor.
In related news about Spain's air capabilities: Spain continues expanding its Eurofighter fleet despite some partners winding down production. In December 2024 Spain finalized purchasing 25 new Eurofighters under NATO's program managed by NETMA based in Munich Germany; these will replace part of their existing F-18 inventory starting from 2026.
Built at Airbus' Getafe plant near Madrid supporting over sixteen thousand jobs directly or indirectly within Spain alone - these upgraded models include advanced avionics systems along with enhanced weaponry such as Brimstone III missiles plus Full Meteor capabilities which significantly bolster national defense strategies moving forward through initiatives like FCAS alongside France & Germany collaboration efforts instead opting against acquiring Lockheed Martin’s stealthy fifth-generation fighters yet remaining committed towards strengthening European partnerships overall!
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