Edge Group And Indra Group Plan Spain-based Defence Manufacturing Joint Venture For Loitering Munitions

EDGE and Indra Group are moving ahead with plans to create a new defence manufacturing company in Spain that will focus on loitering munitions and smart weapons. The venture is designed to serve Spanish and wider European defence programmes, while keeping open the option to add further defence capabilities as future needs appear.

The company, which still requires formal approval from the boards of Indra Group and EDGE, is planned as a dedicated Spanish manufacturing entity. It will provide development, production and full lifecycle support for loitering munitions and smart weapons, directly addressing current European defence requirements and the need for reliable, in-region supply chains.

The formal agreement was signed by Hamad Al Marar, Managing Director and CEO of EDGE Group, and José Vicente de Los Mozos, CEO of Indra Group. The signing was witnessed by senior Spanish and UAE officials, underlining the bilateral dimension of the project and its importance for defence industrial cooperation between Europe and the Middle East.

Among those present were Amparo Valcarcel, Spanish Secretary of State for Defence, Saleh Ahmad Salem Al Suwaidi, UAE Ambassador to Spain, and Alberto Ruiz Rodríguez, General Director of Industrial Programmes at the Spanish Ministry of Industry. Faisal Al Bannai, Chairman of EDGE Group, and Ángel Escribano, Executive Chairman of Indra Group, also attended the ceremony.

Production of loitering munition systems is planned for the province of León, at a new drone manufacturing facility being developed by Indra. Indra expects to invest between EUR 15 million and EUR 20 million in this site, which will support manufacturing, assembly and long-term maintenance activities for Spanish and European defence customers.

The partners state that locating this work in Spain supports European sovereignty objectives, as advanced weapons systems will be designed and produced within the region. This is aimed at ensuring availability at scale, as demand from European defence markets increases, while building sustainable industrial capacity that can also support export opportunities where permitted.

The joint venture will draw on EDGE’s experience with loitering munitions and smart weapons and combine it with Indra’s established role in information technology, aerospace, defence and mobility systems. Both companies describe the initiative as aligned with their shared goal of expanding sovereign and export-ready industrial capabilities across Europe.

Hamad Al Marar, Managing Director & CEO of EDGE Group, said, "Establishing this joint venture with Indra in Spain marks a decisive step in EDGE’s expansion into Europe. By developing loitering munition capabilities in Spain, we are enabling in-country manufacturing and responding directly to the scale and urgency of European defence requirements, while building long term industrial capability with a trusted partner."

José Vicente de Los Mozos, CEO of Indra Group, said, "Through this initiative, Indra takes a decisive step in its ambition to become a European reference in the drone industry. The development of capacities enables us to rapidly respond to the needs of the loitering munition market, a segment of strong attractiveness experiencing accelerated growth."

The planned company is expected to support Spain’s defence industrial base, strengthen European autonomy in loitering munitions and smart weapons, and deepen cooperation between the UAE and Spain. Further defence capabilities may be added over time, depending on evolving operational demands and the direction of European defence programmes.

With inputs from WAM