The Spanish government has approved the purchase of 27 drones for an estimated 595 million euros ($656 million).
The Spanish Army and the Spanish Air and Space Force will receive the Airbus SiRTAP systems, each of which reportedly consists of three aircraft, a ground control station, and data reception equipment.
The purchase includes simulators and initial logistical support, Infodefensa revealed.
To Replace Israeli Searchers
The drones will replace the army’s aging Searcher MkIIs from Israel Aerospace Industries, complementing the air force’s US-made Predators.
The Spanish government launched the SiRTAP program in 2015, with Columbia joining it later.
Airbus Defence and Space’s Spanish division has designed the drone and will produce it with substantial local content.
More Spanish and Colombian defense firms are expected to join the program, with deliveries expected to begin in 2026.
Multipurpose Drone
The SiRTAP is expected to have an endurance of over 20 hours and a flight ceiling of 21,000 feet (6,400 meters).
The multipurpose aircraft will be able to carry a payload of 150 kilograms (330 pounds). It will perform combat and non-combat missions, including convoy escort, area surveillance, force protection, signals, electronic, and communications intelligence.
The aircraft’s collapsible wings and rotor allow transport by land and air, such as with the Airbus C295 transport aircraft, which can carry two SiRTAPs on one flight.
