{"id":699748,"date":"2026-01-16T11:17:18","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T11:17:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/699748\/"},"modified":"2026-01-16T11:17:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T11:17:18","slug":"spain-unveils-major-2-2-billion-plan-to-build-advanced-military-drones-for-nato-united24-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/699748\/","title":{"rendered":"Spain Unveils Major $2.2 Billion Plan to Build Advanced Military Drones for NATO \u2014 UNITED24 Media"},"content":{"rendered":"

Spain\u2019s Ministry of Defen\u0456e has announced a $2.2 billion investment in military drone production in the Castile and Le\u00f3n region, with new plants planned in Le\u00f3n and Valladolid. Each facility is expected to create around 200 jobs.<\/p>\n

The announcement was made on January 14 by Secretary of State for Defense Amparo Valcarce during a press conference at the Senate, alongside the leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers\u2019 Party in Castile and Le\u00f3n, Carlos Mart\u00ednez, and lawmakers Nuria Rubio and Patricia G\u00f3mez Urb\u00e1n, according to El Pais.<\/p>\n

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Valcarce said<\/a> the Le\u00f3n plant will manufacture \u201cthe most advanced drones currently capable of operating in Europe and within NATO.\u201d The project is part of Spain\u2019s Industrial and Technological Security and Defense Plan, approved by the Cabinet in May 2025.<\/p>\n

As reported by El Pais, the investment comes amid heightened international tensions, Spain\u2019s commitments to strengthen its defense capabilities, and ahead of regional elections in Castile and Le\u00f3n scheduled for March. According to the Defense Ministry, the project, expected to become operational in 2026\u20132027, represents a \u201cturning point for Spain\u2019s industrial and technological defense base.\u201d<\/p>\n

A new company formed by defense firms Indra and Edge will launch with an initial order portfolio worth about $2.2 billion. The plants are expected to focus on the production, maintenance, and supply of military equipment for Spain\u2019s armed forces, as well as other European militaries.<\/p>\n

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In Le\u00f3n province, a factory producing loitering munitions\u2014drones capable of surveillance and strike missions\u2014is set to be built in Villadangos del P\u00e1ramo, with an initial investment of around $22 million, El Pais reported. A second facility in the Boecillo technology park in Valladolid will specialise in micro-engines for drones, a critical component for their operation.<\/p>\n

Neanwhile, Spain also continues to expand<\/a> its direct military assistance to Ukraine. On January 13, Spain\u2019s Council of Ministers announced the delivery of a Lanza LTR-25 tactical early-warning radar to the Ukrainian Armed Forces under a contract between the Spanish Ministry of Defense and defense technology firm Indra. <\/p>\n

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Valued at around $40 million, the mobile three-coordinate radar is designed to operate in contested electromagnetic environments and is optimized to detect small, low-observable threats such as drones and cruise missiles, underscoring Madrid\u2019s ongoing support for Ukraine\u2019s air defense capabilities.<\/p>\n

Earlier, Spain committed<\/a> about $946 million in aid to Ukraine and is working toward providing roughly $1.16 billion in security assistance each year, including $249 million earmarked for air defense and surveillance systems under the European Commission\u2019s SAFE instrument.<\/p>\n

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