Spain's Council of Ministers authorised the Ministry of Industry and Trade on 28 September to sign a new contract with national consortium Tess Defence to continue the Dragón IFV production programme. (Spanish MoD)
Spain's Council of Ministers announced on its website on 28 September that it had authorised the Ministry of Industry and Trade to sign a new contract with national consortium Tess Defence to continue the Dragón 8x8 wheeled infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) production programme.
The contract, valued at EUR1.2 billion (USD1.4 billion) to be paid in installments between 2021 and 2024, is the ministry's contribution to the EUR2.08 billion Spanish IFV programme, with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) paying the remainder. The MoD signed a contract with Tess Defence in August 2020 for the first tranche of 348 Dragón IFVs for delivery to the Spanish Army over the next decade, with further tranches planned for another 348 and then 287 vehicles.
The Council of Ministers said the IFV production programme involves high technological and industrial content not only from TESS Defence, but also numerous Spanish companies in sectors such as materials, telecommunications, defence systems, and propulsion. The Council of Ministers expected the contract to create 1,230 qualified jobs per year and sees it as an opportunity to develop a national product and to export technology, allowing the Spanish defence industry to position itself on the international market.
The Tess Defence consortium comprises General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas, Indra, Sapa Plasencia, and Escribano Mechanical & Engineering.
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