Spain’s government has approved defence projects with an estimated total value of around €11.86 billion. On 10 November, the Council of Ministers approved, among other things, the procurement of air-defence and drone defence systems as well as work on submarines, ships and helicopters. The total comes from 13 decisions within the remit of the Ministry of Defence.
The largest individual item concerns mobile air-defence systems. According to the published government decisions, their estimated contract value is just under €3.4 billion, spread over ten annual instalments. The systems are intended to protect armed forces units against threats from the air and missiles.
For the maintenance and modernisation of the submarines of the S-80 class, the Council of Ministers approved an implementation contract with an estimated value of €2.37 billion. A further €1.45 billion is estimated for systems to counter unmanned aerial vehicles.
A further project covers the development, integration and procurement of a missile launched from submarines. Its estimated value is €792 million, spread over nine annual instalments. The modernisation of the NH90 helicopters is estimated at €996 million. According to the government, Airbus Helicopters España is to be the main contractor.
The decisions also include several naval projects. These include the design and construction of a surveillance ship, as well as the modernisation of Segura-class minehunters and Galicia-class amphibious ships. The surveillance ship is estimated to cost around €591 million; according to the government, the work is to be awarded to the Spanish shipbuilder Navantia .
The figures cited are estimated contract values. The approvals do not mean that all contracts have already been definitively concluded, nor that the total amount will be paid out in 2026. The specialist publication Defensa y Seguridad notes that the 13 decisions cover different types of contracts and approvals, and that the final contract values may still change.
The decisions alone also do not justify concluding that social benefits for the public have been cut in favour of arms spending. The meeting of 10 November alone does not provide a basis for establishing a broader annual total for all projects approved in 2026.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).