USA urges Portugal to switch to F-35: "Champions League" of EU air forces as a goal

The US ambassador to Portugal, John Arrigo, has publicly called on the Portuguese government to replace its existing F-16 fleet with Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II in the future. His key message: the fifth-generation fighter jet would bring Portugal up to the level of the leading European air forces in terms of interoperability.

Arrigo described the F-35 as the most technologically advanced candidate and highlighted its role as a fifth-generation stealth platform. His argument focuses less on the platform itself and more on its integration into an increasingly networked NATO and EU defense environment.

Interoperability as a strategic lever

From Washington's perspective, the debate over Portugal's future fighter jets is not just a procurement issue, but a strategic decision. Within NATO, the F-35 is considered a key platform for shared situational awareness, standardized data processing, and multinational missions.

Arrigo emphasized that hundreds of F-35s are already in service or on order in Europe. At the same time, he pointed out that a significant portion of the aircraft is manufactured with European components—an argument intended to mitigate political reservations about a purely US-centered procurement.

Portugal's decision is still open

Despite the public push from Washington, no decision has been made in Lisbon as of yet. Portugal's Ministry of Defense had already signaled that a formal selection process for a future fighter jet had not yet begun.

The China factor and "de-risking"

Another focus of the statements concerned Portugal's relationship with China. Arrigo emphasized that the US did not want to force Portugal into a simple "US or China" decision. Instead, the goal was "de-risking," especially in areas such as cybersecurity and critical infrastructure.

Classification for Europe and Switzerland

The case of Portugal shows once again how closely arms procurement and geopolitics are intertwined. For Switzerland, too, the choice of the F-35 must be understood as an alliance and technology decision. Medium-sized states in particular must strike a balance between technical excellence, industrial participation, and strategic independence.

Conclusion: Public pressure from Washington is turning Portugal's defense planning into a political issue. The decision will have a significant impact on Portugal's position in the European security order and its approach to global technology dependencies.