Rafale and Eurofighter court Portuguese industry as F-16 replacement looms

Two European fighter manufacturers moved to strengthen their positions in Portugal within days of each other, as the country weighs a successor to its F-16 fleet.

Dassault Aviation signed a memorandum of understanding with AED Cluster Portugal, the national aerospace and defence industry association, at the French Embassy in Lisbon on September 23, 2026. The French company, acting on behalf of Rafale partners Thales and Safran, said the agreement followed the formal submission of a Rafale offer to the Portuguese government and air force in July 2026.

Two days later, Airbus and the same industry body presented a white paper setting out the industrial package Airbus would deliver if Portugal selected the Eurofighter Typhoon. The joint release described a programme spanning 40 years that would bring manufacturing, software development, cybersecurity and maintenance, repair and overhaul work to Portuguese firms. Airbus said it would double its procurement from Portuguese suppliers following a purchase, without providing a baseline figure.

The two European bids join the Lockheed Martin F-35A and the Saab Gripen E in engaging Portuguese industry. All four manufacturers now hold agreements with AED Cluster. Lockheed Martin signed its own memorandum in June 2025 to identify Portuguese suppliers for the F-35, with Airbus following in October 2025 and Saab in December 2025. Saab also outlined plans in March 2026 for Gripen production work at OGMA, which is controlled by Embraer.

The F-35 remains in contention. Portugal's defence minister, Nuno Melo, questioned a US purchase in March 2025, while the American ambassador to Lisbon urged the country to buy the jet in February 2026.

No formal process has been opened to replace Portugal's F-16s. The Portuguese Air Force operates 28 F-16AM/BM aircraft from Monte Real Air Base.