Military vehicle manufacturer TESS Defence has delivered the 100th Dragón 8×8 wheeled combat vehicle to the Spanish Army, marking a major milestone in a programme first conceptualized in 2019.
Derived from General Dynamics European Land Systems’ (GDELS) Piranha V platform, the Dragón 8×8 incorporates an open digital architecture, advanced sensor integration and enhanced armor protection. The vehicle is being introduced to replace Spain’s aging Pegaso BMR and VEC armored fleets under the country’s Force 35 military modernization programme.
TESS Defence handed over the latest batch at the Santa Bárbara facility in Alcalá de Guadaíra, working in coordination with its parent company, Indra.
The latest delivery brings Spain closer to its planned procurement of 348 Dragón vehicles by the end of 2028. The programme is being implemented under a €1.74 billion ($1.9 billion) contract signed in 2020.
Production Accelerates
Dragón production has accelerated significantly in 2026. During the first six months of the year, 43 vehicles were delivered to the Spanish Army, effectively doubling the programme’s total production output recorded throughout the previous year.
TESS Defence and Indra are implementing the programme alongside key Spanish defence industry partners, including GDELS-Santa Bárbara Sistemas, SAPA and EM&E. The collaboration is intended to strengthen domestic industrial participation while supporting the Army’s transition to a modernized wheeled combat vehicle fleet.
Operational Trials and Variant Demonstrations
The Spanish Army is currently conducting field trials of the Dragón 8×8 with the Legion Brigade in Viator, Andalusia. According to Spanish media reports, the trials are aimed at supporting the vehicle’s achievement of initial operational capability by the end of 2026.
A separate evaluation programme is also underway with Spain’s 1st Engineer Regiment in Burgos, in the Castile and León region, allowing the Army to assess the platform in additional operational roles and environments.
The Spanish military is also scheduled to publicly showcase three Dragón variants for the first time during the National Day parade in Madrid in mid-October.
The 100th vehicle delivery highlights the accelerating transition of Spain’s armored vehicle fleet and represents an important step toward completing the Dragón 8×8 programme and strengthening the country’s land-force capabilities under the Force 35 modernization initiative.
