Spain Eyes Catapult-fitted Aircraft Carrier with Navantia as NATO Urges Greater Defense Investment.

On June 25, 2025, Navantia's CATOBAR aircraft carrier project for the Spanish Navy officially entered public discussion, signaling a historic transformation in Spain’s maritime posture. As reported by EFE, this conventionally powered carrier marks Spain’s first attempt to field a catapult-equipped platform for fixed-wing naval aviation, drawing comparisons with the French Charles de Gaulle. With the retirement of the EAV-8B Harrier II looming and no formal procurement of F-35Bs, Spain is embracing CATOBAR as a leap forward. The project emerges amid broader NATO calls for increased defense spending and growing competition in carrier-based naval aviation.
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Spain’s shift toward a CATOBAR-equipped carrier represents more than a naval upgrade, it is a statement of strategic intent, industrial ambition, and doctrinal evolution (Picture source: U.S. Navy)

Navantia, Spain’s state-owned shipbuilding company, has been tasked by the Navy with the feasibility study of a CATOBAR-capable aircraft carrier, marking a departure from Spain’s exclusive reliance on short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) air platforms. The proposed carrier will operate up to 30 combat aircraft and be powered conventionally, echoing the size and profile of France’s Charles de Gaulle without adopting nuclear propulsion. The design aims to enable launch and recovery of advanced fixed-wing jets such as the F-35C, Rafale M, and potentially future FCAS derivatives. In parallel, Spain plans to acquire an additional LHD, likely following the Juan Carlos I configuration, suggesting an unprecedented three-vessel naval aviation structure.

The carrier’s development is rooted in Spain’s operational necessity. With its AV-8B Harriers aging and a noticeable policy gap around F-35B acquisition, the Navy’s focus has shifted to a CATOBAR solution offering broader interoperability and longer-term relevance. This approach opens possibilities for integrating allied platforms and ensures adaptability to future sixth-generation aircraft like the naval FCAS variant. Notably, the choice for conventional propulsion reflects Madrid’s internal stance on nuclear energy, though this could introduce logistical challenges in extended deployments when compared to U.S. or French nuclear-powered vessels.

Strategically, the implications are wide-reaching. A Spanish CATOBAR carrier would elevate Spain’s role within NATO naval task forces and reinforce Mediterranean and Atlantic deterrence postures. It follows similar ambitions by France and Italy and could serve as a catalyst for regional carrier cooperation or task group interoperability. Compared to ski-jump LHDs or STOVL-centric doctrines, CATOBAR platforms provide longer range, heavier payload capacity, and access to a broader aircraft pool, including potential AEW&C drones or refueling assets. In this context, Spain could emerge as a bridge between U.S. carrier strike doctrines and Europe’s emerging naval ambitions.

From a budgetary perspective, the program represents a significant financial undertaking. Though precise cost estimates remain undisclosed, a conventional CATOBAR aircraft carrier with integrated combat systems, arrestor gear, and twin catapults could run into several billion euros. While no formal contract has yet been signed, the feasibility study signals serious intent. The most recent related industrial engagement is Navantia’s collaboration with Airbus on the SIRTAP UAV, which may eventually support LHD-based operations. Future contracts will likely revolve around both the ship's construction and its embarked air wing, whether F-35C, Rafale M, or a domestically developed platform under FCAS.

Spain’s shift toward a CATOBAR-equipped carrier represents more than a naval upgrade, it is a statement of strategic intent, industrial ambition, and doctrinal evolution. If realized, this vessel could make Spain the third European nation to field a full-capability CATOBAR aircraft carrier, bridging the continent’s maritime airpower gap and reinforcing NATO’s readiness for high-end naval conflict in an increasingly multipolar world.