Latest news with #SpanishArmy
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Competitors for Spain's future 6x6 armored vehicle face off in Madrid
PARIS — Defense manufacturers eyeing a possible Spanish order for a new 6-wheeled armored vehicle flocked to Madrid this week for the biannual Feindef defense show, presenting new designs or agreeing to work together on armor for the country's land forces. Spain's Technology & Security Developments and Grupo Oesía, Turkey's FNSS Savunma Sistemleri and Belgium's John Cockerill Defense signed a memorandum of understanding to provide a six-wheeled cavalry vehicle for the Spanish Army, the companies said in a joint statement on Wednesday. TDS, Oesía, FNSS and John Cockerill said they aim to offer the Spanish Army an off-the-shelf solution, with local logistics support and life cycle management. Their offer is specifically designed for cavalry operations and providing fire support for expeditionary forces, the four firms said. Spain's Ejercito de Tierra operates the 6x6 BMR, a more than four decades-old 15-ton vehicle built by Santa Bárbara Sistemas, now part of General Dynamics European Land Systems, or GDELS. The army is replacing at least part of its wheeled fleet with the 8x8 Dragón, a heavier and more expensive vehicle that's faced delivery delays and which local media report has suffered mechanical issues. Indra acquired a majority stake in the consortium that makes the Dragón in October, buying shares from partners GDELS, SAPA and Escribano Mechanical and Engineering, or EM&E. Separately, Spain's EM&E presented the Ferox 6x6 armored vehicle at Feindef, after an agreement in February with NIMR Automotive, a unit of the United Arab Emirates' EDGE, to build six-wheeled armored vehicles in Spain. The agreement provides for transfer of knowledge and 'progressive national industrialization' of the vehicle, with design authority in Spain, EM&E said. 'This vehicle marks the beginning of a new stage for EM&E Group in the field of armored vehicles,' Chief Executive Fernando Fernández said. Meanwhile, Rheinmetall and Indra on Tuesday announced a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on armored-vehicle projects for the Spanish armed forces. With the MoU, the companies 'start a strong alliance to support the efforts of the Spanish Armed Forces to modernize their fleet of combat vehicles,' said Eduardo Veen Martinez, the CEO of Rheinmetall's tactical vehicles business unit. For its part, GDELS presented its Pandur 6x6 EVO armored vehicle at the defense show in Madrid, with the company saying its presence as Feindef reflects a 'firm commitment' to the Spanish armed forces and the government's defense industrial strategy. The company also unveiled a new tracked artillery system at the show called the Ascod Nemesis, consisting of a 155mm artillery gun module from KNDS mounted on an Ascod tracked chassis by GDELS.
Morocco World
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Madrid Cancels Al Hoceima 1925 Centennial Event to Preserve Morocco Ties
Doha – Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles has ordered the cancellation of military ceremonies planned to commemorate the centennial of the 1925 Alhucemas Landing, in a move to maintain positive diplomatic relations with Morocco. As reported by El Confidencial Digital, the Spanish Army had initially prepared a comprehensive celebration program for what they consider 'one of Spain's great contemporary military successes.' However, the plans were swiftly terminated following ministerial intervention. This military operation signaled the return of the Spaniards to the Rif following their defeat at the Battle of Anoual on July 22, 1921. This marked one of the darkest episodes of Spanish colonialism in Morocco, where Spanish and French forces launched a massive assault on Al Hoceima in 1925 to crush the Rif resistance movement led by Abdelkrim el-Khattabi. This operation marked the return of the Spaniards to the Rif following their defeat at the Battle of Anoual on July 22, 1921. Around 13,000 Spanish troops, backed by 160 aircraft, alongside three battleships, and multiple naval vessels, launched a brutal maritime attack against 9,000 Moroccan resistance fighters defending their homeland. Military sources revealed to El Confidencial Digital that 'the minister ordered to halt any act of remembrance of this military operation.' The sources articulated that the decision aimed to 'avoid any act that would anger or disturb Morocco.' The Spanish Army and defense staff had allocated funds for organizing various events to mark what they describe as the first major joint operation between the army, navy and air force. General José Agustín Carreras, head of the Alfonso XIII Brigade II of the Legion, had declared in the recent issue of 'La Legión' magazine that the Alhucemas Landing centenary would be among the 'important institutional events' for 2025. When questioned about the commemorative plans, the army headquarters provided a terse response, stating that 'the Centenary of the Alhucemas Landing is not a specific Army anniversary.' The State Major of Defense (EMAD) similarly disclosed that their only planned activity would be 'producing a monograph about the Alhucemas landing.' Furthermore, the Spanish Institute of Military History and Culture projected the Fifth Centenary of the Battle of Pavia (1525) as their main historical commemoration for 2025, avoiding mention of the Alhucemas anniversary. The operation site includes the Al Hoceima rock and the islands of Tierra and Mar, which Morocco considers as inseparable parts of its national territory under Spanish occupation since 1560, along with other occupied territories in North Africa such as Ceuta and Melilla. These territories, which Spain refers to as 'Plazas de Soberanía' (Places of Sovereignty), remain at the center of Morocco's pursuit of full territorial integrity towards the completion of its decolonization process. El Confidencial Digital pointed out that previous anniversaries of the Alhucemas Landing have been marked only by isolated celebrations. The Ceuta Sea Company commemorated their Naval Medal award for participation in the landing in 2020, while Melilla's Regular Forces Group 52 marked their creation anniversary in 2023. Spain strives to prevent further diplomatic blunders The decision reflects Spain's careful diplomatic approach toward Morocco, in order to preserve bilateral ties that have been put in jeopardy in the past. This relationship faced a serious crisis in May 2021 when Spain secretly arranged to hospitalize Polisario Front leader Brahim Ghali for COVID-19 treatment. Ghali, who entered Spain using a false identity as 'Mohammed Ben Battouch,' was wanted in the European country on charges of war crimes, terrorism, and kidnapping, based on lawsuits filed by Spanish families and Sahrawis who alleged torture in Polisario-controlled Tindouf camps. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's decision to accept Ghali without notifying Morocco — one of Spain's principal trading partners — about the arrangement with Algeria severely strained bilateral relations. However, relations improved markedly in March 2022 when the prime minister notably shifted Spain's position on Western Sahara, backing Morocco's autonomy proposal. Tags: Morocco Spain relations
