SAPA is making progress in integrating its powertrain into the VCR 8×8

Green Light for the Construction of Five F-110 Frigates and 348 Dragon 8×8 Vehicles for the Army

The Council of Ministers is expected to approve three weapons programs totaling €7.331 billion on December 15, 2018, according to Defense sources.

These programs involve the construction of five F-110 frigates between 2019 and 2032 for €4.325 billion; the acquisition of 348 8×8 vehicles for the Army, to be delivered by 2025, for €2.1 billion; and the upgrade of the Eurofighter combat aircraft for €906 million.

The Government has already invested €92 million in the Dragon technology programs, awarded to a joint venture (UTE) comprising Santa Bárbara Sistemas, Indra, and SAPA. The delivery of the five technology demonstrators was scheduled for last November, but has been postponed until July 2019, after the Army requested a sixth prototype to test mobility (engine and transmissions), incorporated a domestically manufactured weapons station, and decided to destroy two of the vehicles to evaluate their resistance to mines and explosives. The program’s impact on employment (650 direct jobs and 1,000 indirect jobs) will be especially significant in Alcalá de Guadaira (Seville), Trubia (Asturias), Aranjuez (Madrid), and Andoain (Gipuzkoa).