Submarine and combat vehicle delays disrupt Spain's defence plans

The Spanish daily "El Mundo" reported that the two main projects of the country's defence industry, regarding submarines and Dragon 8x8 wheeled combat vehicles, are facing significant delays and disrupting the defence ministry's plans. Spain spends the least in NATO in terms of percentage of GDP allocated to armaments.

Already twenty years ago, Spain decided to independently build modern submarines. To this end, the Ministry of Defence signed a contract with the company Navantia to build four multipurpose units, which were to enter service in 2012.

Meanwhile, the first S-80 class submarine, the S-81 Isaac Peral, did not join the Spanish Navy until the fall of 2023. According to information provided by "El Mundo," Spain has become one of ten countries in the world that independently produce submarines. However, the newspaper pointed out the irritatingly long production time and the rising costs of the program.

The S-81 Isaac Peral is approximately 80 metres long and has a displacement of about 3,000 tonnes. It is capable of reaching speeds of up to 40 km/h. The crew consists of 32 sailors, and its armament includes six 530 mm torpedo tubes.

So far, only seven out of the 348 ordered Dragon vehicles have been delivered. The contract with the company Tess Defence was signed in 2015. The machines were supposed to be ready within three years to replace the outdated vehicles used by the Spanish army.

At the beginning of this year, Defence Minister Margarita Robles expressed her concern about the production delays and called on the company to speed up the work. As reported by "El Mundo" sources, the exact date of delivery of the next Dragons is currently unknown. These vehicles can reach a speed of about 100 km/h. Their armament includes a Guardian 30 turret with a 30 mm automatic cannon.

According to the Spanish newspaper's assessment, the discussed delays hinder the implementation of government plans. The delay in submarine deliveries affects, among other things, the training of sailors and the assignment of their tasks.

Spain spends the least in NATO in terms of percentage of GDP allocated to armaments. In 2024, it will be 1.28 percent. By comparison, Poland will spend over 4.1 percent of its GDP on defence this year. Spain plans to reach the Alliance's required level of 2 percent of GDP by 2029.