Additional PC-21s for Spain

On 5 December 2022, the Spanish Ministry of Defence (MoD) reported that a second batch of sixteen Pilatus PC-21 training aircraft will be acquired. This new batch will replace the ENAER T-35C Tamiz (Pillán) elementary training aircraft in use with 791 Escuadrón at Murcia/San Javier (Spain).

The new order, valued at 250 million euro, will include new aircraft, simulators, training equipment and a logistics package. The MoD will now start negotiations with Pilatus, which had already submitted an offer to the MoD for this second order.

The Academia General del Aire (AGA) already has 24 PC-21s, which have replaced the CASA 101 Aviojet in phase II or Basic Flight Course. With the delivery of the last PC-21s to Murcia/San Javier on 20 June 2022, the training role of the Aviojet has been transferred to 792 Escadrón.

With the acquisition of a single aircraft to carry out the first two phases of teaching at the AGA, not only maintenance costst will be saved, but also the supply of spare parts will be simplified, among other advantages.

According to the multi-year budget overview, payments for the new training systems will start in 2023 and will be finished in 2025. Delivery of the new aircraft will most probably be spread over the same period.

Of the 40 T-35C Tamiz basic trainers acquired by the Ejército del Aire (EdA, Spainish Air Force) by 1987, 36 are still active.

Photo by Leonard van Teeffelen (Scramble Archive)