The first Spanish Eurofighter of the Halcón program and the reason for the lack of the PIRATE sensor

The process to replace the aging EF-18 fighter jets of the Spanish Air Force has reached a new milestone today.

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This Monday, at 4:05 PM CET, Airbus Defence announced that the first Eurofighter of the Halcón I program has rolled off its assembly line in Getafe (Madrid). Spain currently has 69 Eurofighters out of a total of 73 received (4 units were lost in accidents). The aircraft are distributed among four squadrons in Wing 11 (Morón, Squadrons 111 and 113, the latter dedicated to conversion training) and in Wing 14 (Albacete, Squadrons 141 and 142). The Spanish Eurofighter fleet consists of aircraft from Tranche 1 (19 aircraft received), Tranche 2 (34) and Tranche 3 (20).

Spain is awaiting a total of 45 Eurofighters, divided into two programs: the Halcón I program, signed in 2022, will consist of 20 aircraft (16 single-seaters and 4 two-seaters) to replace the EF-18 Hornets of Wing 46, based at Gando (Canary Islands), while the Halcón II program will consist of 25 aircraft (21 single-seaters and 4 two-seaters) to replace the older EF-18s based at Torrejón (Wing 12) and Zaragoza (Wing 15). These 45 new Eurofighters will be Tranche 4, the most advanced version of this aircraft, and will be equipped with E-Scan active electronically scanned radar.

The aircraft displayed today by Airbus Defence is a two-seater from the Halcón I program. The European company has indicated that the aircraft is now ready for its first engine test and maiden flight. At the moment, the fighter has not yet been painted, as can be seen in these photos.

A significant detail is that this aircraft does not yet have the EuroFirst PIRATE sensor (Passive Infrared Airborne Track Equipment), as can be seen in these two photos released today by Airbus Defence.

The PIRATE sensor is a black, ball-shaped infrared search and track (IRST) sight mounted on the left side of the aircraft's cockpit. This system detects the enemy aircraft's thermal signature, including both the heat emitted by its engines and the air resistance generated by its fuselage, allowing it to locate stealth aircraft and giving the Eurofighter a considerable advantage. Its range is a closely guarded secret. Some sources indicate it can locate targets at a distance of up to 167 km, depending on weather conditions.

This sensor is manufactured by the EuroFIRST consortium, made up of three European companies: Tecnobit (Spain), Leonardo SpA (Italy, which is the consortium's director), and Thales Land & Joint Systems (United Kingdom). The PIRATE has a highly sensitive optical viewfinder, so its installation and calibration are carried out after the aircraft has been painted to prevent substances used in the painting process from affecting or damaging the sensor.

At the end of 2025, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force (JEMA), Air General Francisco Braco Carbó, indicated that the delivery of the first three Eurofighters of the Halcón I program was planned for the beginning of this year. The withdrawal of the EF-18s from Wing 46 began in July 2023. At the end of 2025, Eurofighters from Wing 11 began arriving at Gando to take over the early warning service missions of Wing 46.

Yesterday, veteran aviator and defense analyst Salvador Mafé noted that the retirement of the last EF-18s from Wing 46 is planned for the end of this month, adding that on May 30, the 462 Squadron made its last QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) at Gando with the Hornet. On May 27, Salvador posted this photo of the first Eurofighter of Wing 46, the C.16-60 (10040), a Tranche 3 aircraft formerly assigned to Wing 14 as 14-19 and now bearing the number 462-60. Interestingly, instead of indicating the wing number in the serial number, as is the case with aircraft of Wing 11 and Wing 14, the squadron number is now indicated—a curious change.

+ UPDATED 11:48 PM: Salvador Mafé points this out regarding the absence of the PIRATE sensor: "A pilot I interviewed the other day told me that the T4s no longer have it. The images are of worse quality than those of the LITENING 5 and it is useless for target designation and reconnaissance."

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Photos: Airbus Defence / Leonardo.