As Spain’s national coordinator for the NGWS/FCAS initiative, Indra plays a pivotal role in mobilising the country’s innovation and industrial capabilities. The event highlighted the involvement of non-traditional defence actors in shaping the future of European air combat systems.
Projects presented cover a broad spectrum of technologies, including edge computing, artificial intelligence, photonics, quantum technologies, advanced communications, and cybersecurity. Contributors include the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS), Gradiant, Fyla, AG Photonics, IDBotic, Quside, Sensia, and several Spanish universities and institutes.
The NGWS/FCAS programme—jointly led by Germany, Spain, and France—aims to develop a sixth-generation air combat system comprising manned fighters, unmanned carriers, and a shared combat cloud. Set to enter service by 2040, it calls for disruptive civil innovations to be integrated and matured well in advance.
Indra’s Head of Air Dominance Business Unit, Miguel García Moreno, opened the event on Wednesday, 25 June, stating, “This is an ultra-innovative programme, which takes innovation one step further.” He stressed the significance of non-defence players in reshaping the sector’s technological foundations.
Jorge San José, Director of the NGWS/FCAS programme at Indra, added that the project has “an integrative nature, fostering the development of highly innovative companies across all regions of Spain, retaining talent and generating high-quality, highly skilled jobs.”
The showcased work was evaluated by representatives from the Combined Project Team (CPT), the DGAM Program Office, and the Directorate General for Strategy and Innovation of the Defence Industry (DIGEID). Each participating organisation presented their contributions in a dedicated marketplace-style format.
A panel discussion involving key programme stakeholders underlined the essential role of dual-use technologies from the civil sector in defence innovation. The panellists praised the quality and potential of the 17 Spanish projects, emphasising their value to both national and European defence capabilities.
