END OF PATRULLA AGUILA?
Patrulla Águila (Spanish for "Eagle Patrol"), formed on 4th of July 1985, is the aerobatic demonstration team of the Spanish Air Force. The team is based at San Javier Air Base at the location of the academy of officers of the Spanish Air Force, near Mar Menor and La Manga, in the Murcia region of Spain. The team consists of 12 Spanish-built CASA C-101 Aviojet jet trainers however only seven of them actually fly in airshows.
The team has been using the C-101 for decades, however, with the end of the jet's operational life expected in summer 2022, the unit's activity could be compromised.
The Spanish built CASA C-101 Aviojet will soon be replaced by the Swiss-built Pilatus PC-21 Turboprop trainer and according to the Spanish Air Force, the team will continue using the C-101 as long as possible and will not be switching to the new PC-21.
During the interview for the Spanish media LA RAZÓN the representatives of the Spanish Air Force mentioned that "the Patrulla Aguila has represented the Air Force for decades, but also represented the national industry thanks to the use of an excellent system designed and manufactured in Spain. This is the reason why, in the absence of a Made in Spain option, the Defense will not replace the current fleet. We intend to maintain this philosophy as long as the availability of aircraft allows, The plan of the service is to extend the operational life of the current aircraft as much as possible and once the type has been withdrawn from the flight school fleet keep those with remaining flight hours.
The officials also mentioned, "as the operational decline of the C-101 approaches in summer 2022, a decision on the future of the Patrulla Aguila will be made based on the options available at that time."
It seems like the future of the Patrulla Aguila now fully depends on the entry into service of the Airbus Future Jet Trainer (AFJT) which is to replace the current F-5 advanced training aircraft in the Spanish Air Force. The new Jet, however, is still in a conceptual phase and its development will take several more years, which might be too long for Patrula Aguila.
