The 15 contracts would bring Spain’s major armament programmes to 94, alongside 79 already under way. Their combined value exceeds €10bn, with nearly €1.5bn due to be paid in 2026. That spending is intended to help Spain meet its NATO commitment to allocate 2% of GDP to defence for a second consecutive year.
The Council of Ministers approved a higher spending ceiling over the summer. In the fourth quarter, the Ministry of Industry has been approving decrees to pre-finance most of the programmes, with awards due before 31 December. The distinction matters: the spending ceiling and pre-financing steps make the contracts possible, but do not mean every programme has already been delivered.
Much of the package upgrades equipment already in service. The Eurofighter modernisation is valued at €1.438bn and follows the acquisition of 45 aircraft under the Halcón 1 and Halcón 2 programmes. Separate projects cover the C-295 and A400M transport aircraft, as well as NH90 helicopters serving the Army, Air Force and Navy.
Missile and drone defences account for several programmes. A new medium-range surface-to-air missile system is intended to replace Spain’s Hawk missiles; the Iris T, made by Germany’s Diehl, is the preferred option through a technology-transfer programme. Other projects cover the modernisation of the Taurus cruise missile and the acquisition of ESSM missiles for the F-100 and F-110 frigates.
Spain is also developing a resilient, encrypted positioning, navigation and timing capability that would work with the government service of the European Galileo satellite system. Its cost is €3.302bn. The programme is designed to provide accurate location and trajectory data, along with synchronisation for military platforms.
Other items include the European Patrol Corvette project. The government has approved a €1.476bn loan to Navantia to develop and build six ships with Italy’s Fincantieri and France’s Naval Group. The package also includes a €200m Industry Ministry loan for surface vessels and S-80 submarines, plus €210m to modernise Segura-class minehunters.
The list extends beyond the armed forces. A €392m purchase of 18 H135 and four H160 helicopters for the Interior Ministry was approved on 27 October. The UME’s Atlantis project would use supercomputing and digital tools for emergency management, including a digital twin for training in nuclear accidents and natural disasters.
Most investment is intended to take place in Spain and Europe, with stated targets of 80% and 90% respectively. A further programme, Capacidad Leo Nacional, is scheduled for 2027, with a planned Spanish investment of €1.6bn to €2bn in low-orbit satellites contributing to the European Iris 2 communications project.
Separately, at a 5 November 2026 meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez reaffirmed Spain’s support for Ukraine and cited €570m allocated to Ukrainian reconstruction in 2026.
