Spain has selected Indra Sistemas to lead a major research and development effort supporting the creation of a future main battle tank for the Spanish Army.
The €45 million ($53 million), two-year contract falls under a dedicated modernization program intended to preserve armored warfare capabilities beyond 2040, when the Leopard 2E is scheduled for retirement.
Development efforts will concentrate on key enabling technologies for a next-generation combat vehicle, including advanced electronic systems, integrated sensors, command-and-control networks, active protection measures, greater mobility, and superior battlefield awareness.
Design objectives include increasing weapon effectiveness without extending gun barrel length or compromising vehicle agility. The platform is also expected to incorporate unmanned ground and aerial systems, capable of operating alone or as coordinated swarms.
The ability to seamlessly integrate and command networked UGVs and UAS is seen as a decisive operational advantage in modern and future conflicts.
Spanish authorities stated that the program aims to deliver an armored platform optimized for high-intensity and complex environments, significantly outperforming existing main battle tanks.
Beyond replacing the Leopard 2E, the new platform is being positioned as a possible replacement for France’s Leclerc, indicating potential export appeal.
Although Spain is not currently involved in the Franco-German next-generation tank initiative led by KNDS, Rheinmetall, and Thales, the two programs may eventually converge due to their overlapping objectives.
