Spain’s Naval Aviation Crossroads: The F-35B, the Harrier, and a Capability GapKeeping fixed-wing naval aviation alive will force Spain to choose between paying the price of continuity, and accepting that the retirement of the Harrier will leave the Spanish Navy without carrier-based fighters for a generation. On paper, everything seems in place for dialogue: Harrier, F-35B, the aircraft carrier Juan Carlos I, STOVL, CATOBAR, naval FCAS, drones, escorts, budget, industry, and doctrine. It doesn’t transform the Juan Carlos I into a fleet aircraft carrier. The alternative of waiting for a future Spanish CATOBAR aircraft carrier might make sense as a long-term study, but not as an immediate solution to replacing the Harrier. It can discuss whether it needs a new LHD , a larger STOVL aircraft carrier, carrier-based drones, naval CCAs , or a more ambitious battle group architecture.