Aviation News - February 2016 UK

T

he Ejército del Aire has had the

Boeing 707 in its inventory since

1988. The type was a controversial
      choice due to the age of the
      selected aircraft.
      During the early 1980s, the Ejército del
      Aire (the literal translation of which is Army
      of the Air, but more commonly referred to in
      English as the Spanish Air Force) started to
      consider renewal of its VIP aircraft, which
      at that time were two McDonnell Douglas
      DC-8-52s, bought second-hand from Iberia in
      April 1978 and February 1980. Owing to their

advanced years the Spanish Government

decided to purchase two Boeing 707s, also

second-hand, with the aim of not just using

them in the VIP and transport roles, but also

as air-to-air refuelling tanker aircraft.

A contract was signed with Boeing

to modify these two aircraft for their new

roles. Part of the work included installing

advanced communications equipment for

use by members of the country’s royal family

or senior government officials, and also to

enable the aircraft to act as an airborne

command centre.

During the process of negotiation and

airframe selection with Boeing, and due

to the ‘new’ aircraft being almost 20 years

old (similar to the DC-8s they were to

replace but with better performance) with an

accumulated 65,000  ying hours between

them, the Spanish Air Force decided to buy

a third aircraft that would be con gured for

VIP and general transport, with the purpose

of supporting T.17-1. This back-up aircraft,

a 707-368C (T.17-3/45-12), was considered

essential, given that the number of overseas

visits had increased signi cantly due to

20 Aviation News incorporating Classic Aircraft February 2016

SPAIN’S

MULTI-ROLE

BOEING 707s

Rodrigo Rodríguez Costa details the career of the Spanish Air Force’s Boeing

707s which have served the country’s armed forces since the late 1980s.

20-24_707sDC.mfDC.indd 20 30/12/2015 16: