Tag Archives: DGAM

Air

To support the industry

The Spanish Ministries of Defence and Interior have ordered 36 Airbus H135 helicopters. This signature takes place in the context of the stimulus plan activated by the Spanish government to support the industry. The Ministry of Defence will receive 18 helicopters to be operated by the air force and the navy while the Ministry of Interior will also take delivery of 18 helicopters to be operated by the National Police and the Guardia Civil. The deliveries will start next year.

Airbus H135
Spanish Ministries of Defence and Interior sign for 36 H135s тo be operated by Spain’s Air Force, Navy, National Police, and the Guardia Civil

The Spanish Army already operates a fleet of 16 H135 helicopters. With this acquisition, these will be the Spanish Air Force’s first H135s and the Spanish Navy’s first Airbus Helicopters product. As was the case for the H135s acquired some time ago by the army, the new aircraft for the air force and navy will replace older helicopter models currently used for advanced pilot training. The standardisation of training fleets across the three armed forces will create synergies and lead to the implementation of new and more efficient training and support activities.

«Together with the NH90, the H135 will be present in all branches of the Spanish armed forces, as an example of harmonisation and the search for synergies in training and maintenance, as stipulated by our Helicopter Master Plan», said Admiral Santiago González at Dirección General de Armamento y Material (DGAM). «This collaboration between the Ministries of the Interior and Defence is an important milestone in the rationalisation of programmes by the Spanish Government».

The Ministry of Interior currently has a fleet of 31 helicopters from the H135 family in operation with the National Police, the Guardia Civil, and Tráfico. The new helicopters will enable the Policía and Guardia Civil to replace the BO105 helicopters in a wide range of missions including law enforcement, surveillance, and rescue activities.

«We are pleased to sign the largest H135 contract in the history of this programme in Spain, a key partner and one of the largest H135 operators worldwide. I take this opportunity to welcome the Spanish Navy and the Spanish Air Force as new users of this model», said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. «The H135’s performance, versatility, and flight readiness have been particularly appreciated by Spanish operators».

Airbus’ light, twin-engine H135 is equipped with the most advanced technologies available, including Airbus Helicopters’ own Helionix avionics suite. There are about 1,350 H135 helicopters operated by 300 operators in 64 countries. The fleet has accumulated 6 million flight hours.

Air Force

Training System

The Spanish Air Force, Ejército del Aire, is the third European air force to opt for the Swiss-produced PC-21, the Next Generation Trainer. Pilatus has committed to delivering a total of 24 PC-21s to Spain. The single-engine turboprop trainer aircraft will replace the Casa C-101 jet trainers used since 1980.

The Spanish Air Force Buys PC-21 Training System Including 24 Aircraft

The Ministry of Defence was looking for a new, highly efficient training platform to provide advanced training for Spain’s future military pilots tasked with protecting future generations. After a long and extremely professional evaluation, Pilatus beat several prestigious competitors to win the tender with the PC-21. The contract, which is worth over 200 million euros, was signed on 01 January, 2020 evening with the Spanish Dirección General de Armamento y Material (DGAM). Comprising an integrated training system, the order includes simulators developed and produced by Pilatus, spare parts and logistics support in addition to the PC-21 aircraft.

Oscar J. Schwenk, Chairman of Pilatus, is enthusiastic about this major order from Spain: «As a small Swiss aircraft manufacturer I’m delighted at our repeated success in winning through over large, international competitors. This result is proof that, with our PC-21, we can deliver the very best training system in the world».

 

Pilot training starts in 2021

The PC-21 will provide Spain with the most advanced training system currently on offer, and will also deliver a cost-effective, ecologically viable training platform. Experience with existing PC-21 customers has shown that the cost of training for a military pilot can be reduced by over 50 percent with the PC-21. These single-engine turboprop aircraft require much less fuel than any comparable jet trainer.

Oscar J. Schwenk commented further: «I’m delighted to see us win a new air force to add to our existing customer portfolio. We shall provide Ejército del Aire with the first-class customer service they are entitled to expect from Pilatus. Bienvenidos a Pilatus y muchas gracias por elegir el PC-21 – viva España»!

 

About the PC-21 success model

For years, people believed that single-engine turboprops would never replace jet trainers. But with defence budgets coming under increasing pressure, air forces are looking for new ways of managing and maintaining their complex systems in mission-ready condition. Seeking to support this change, Pilatus developed performance-related services specifically tailored to the PC-21 Training System. The goal is to ensure an affordable product to match the performance criteria defined by air force customers. That is achieved by providing a highly sophisticated and integrated service package in line with current air force requirements.

Prestigious air forces around the world have chosen the cost-effective, highly efficient training platform created by Pilatus. They are the proof that the PC-21 is the training system of the future. Since 2006, with the order for Spain, Pilatus has already sold 235 PC-21s to nine air forces – including Singapore, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, France and Australia.

Navy

Isaac Peral

Navantia has finalized, in the Cartagena facilities, the closure of the resistant hull of the S-81 «Isaac Peral» submarine for the Spanish Navy, after the union of the last section of the ship.

Navantia closes the resistant hull of S81 «Isaac Peral» submarine

The event has been attended by the General Director of Programs from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), General Salvador Álvarez Pascual; the Chief of the Cartagena Arsenal, Vice Admiral Aniceto Rosique Nieto; the Director of Engineering and Construction, Vice Admiral Manuel Martínez Ruiz; the Chief of the Logistics Division, Admiral Gonzalo Sanz Alisedo; the Head of the Naval Systems Department of the Directorate General of Armaments and Material (DGAM), Nicolás Lapique Martín, and the Head of the S-80 Program, Javier del Corral. On behalf of NAVANTIA, the Director of Operations and Business, Gonzalo Mateo Guerrero-Alcázar; the Director of the Shipyard and S-80 submarines Program, Agustín Álvarez Blanco; the Director of Navantia Sistemas, Vicente Santamaría Calvario, and the head of the S-80 Program Office, Ignacio Núñez.

The event began with a brief tour of the submarine, where the progress of the construction of both the S-81 and S-82 submarines was shown. Next, a brief presentation of the submarine’s construction process was made, after which the Director of the Shipyard of Cartagena and the General Director of Programs from the MoD have given a speech, highlighting the importance of this event and the S-80 submarines program.

The closure of the resistant hull is a crucial milestone in the construction of a submarine, as it appears as a complete vessel. Previously, the loading of all the main modules has been carried out, as well as a very high level of completion of the sections. The next step is the completion of the fitting works and the beginning of the testing stage.

This step represents a change of phase. The work in the submarine is now focused on its launching, following a formal and regulated process, based on overcoming safety milestones. This process begins with the tensioning, when the submarine begins to receive electric current; then the battery boarding, to gain autonomy in power generation, and finally the floating and the sea trials.

The scheduled date for floating is October 2020.

 

MAIN FEATURES

Length 80.81 m/265.1 feet
Total Sleeve 11.68 m/38.3 feet
Total Strut 13.69 m/44.9 feet
Diameter 7.30 m/23.9 feet
Surface displacement/immersion 2,695/2,965 t
Accommodation 32 provision + 8 special forces
Conventional submarine of high autonomy equipped with anaerobic propulsion
Extremely low acoustic signature
Excellent maneuverability at low speed
Systems with high automation
Next generation combat system
Air Independent Propulsion system (AIP) – State of the art
High complexity integrated design