The US envoy encourages Portugal to get F-35s and integrate into elite air forces.

The US ambassador to Portugal has advocated for Lisbon to substitute its obsolete F-16 fighter jets with Lockheed Martin’s F-35, asserting that the stealth aircraft will guarantee interoperability with Europe’s premier air forces.

Ambassador John Arrigo informed CNN Portugal of his intention to leverage his commercial acumen to assist Portugal in increasing defense expenditure to NATO’s goal of 5% of gross domestic product by 2035, up from the current 2%.According to Arrigo, the F-35 is the premier fighter aircraft, being a fifth-generation stealth fighter that will elevate the Portuguese Air Force to a leading position within the EU.

In November, Portuguese Defence Minister Nuno Melo stated that the selection process for the replacement fighters had not commenced.

Arrigo stated that around 900 F-35s are either in service or on order throughout Europe, asserting that for “interoperability, the F-35 is unequivocally the preferred option,” while also highlighting that 25% of the aircraft is constructed using European components.

The envoy stated that the Trump administration was not pressuring Portugal to select between Washington and Beijing regarding relations with China.

Chinese enterprises proliferated in Portugal subsequent to the 2011-14 bailout, as lower asset valuations drew foreign investors.

In May 2011, Portugal obtained a €78 billion bailout from the EU, IMF, and ECB due to escalating borrowing rates amid the eurozone debt crisis, which rendered it unable to access financial markets; nonetheless, this necessitated the acceptance of stringent austerity measures that precipitated a severe recession.

Portugal became a participant in China’s Belt and Road Initiative in December 2018. Arrigo stated that Lisbon’s alliance with the US would “prosper” should Lisbon withdraw, similar to Italy’s actions in 2023.