The Spanish Army’s ground forces acquired 40 Dragon 8×8 wheeled infantry fighting vehicles, which is operationally equivalent to forming one mechanized infantry battalion.
This delivery is part of the rearmament program ‘Fuerza 35’ aimed at structural modernization of the Spanish Army.
Spain’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that the vehicles were officially handed over at the Álvarez de Sotomayor base after industrial consortium Tess Defense completed the transfer.
The handover ceremony was attended by Defense Minister Margarita Robles, Deputy Defense Minister Amparo Balcarce, and Army Chief of Staff (JEME) General Amador Ensenyat. Minister Robles, who has criticized program delays in the past, emphasized the strategic importance of introducing new power.
“Our Army is paramount and this program strengthens the interoperability of the Spanish Army, as well as its reliability and accountability in NATO, European Union and United Nations missions,” she said.
Dragon 8×8
Dragon 8×8 is a Spanish localized version of the Mowag Piranha V armored vehicle developed by the Swiss division of General Dynamics. Designed in an 8×8 configuration, it is equipped with the latest hydraulic (hydropneumatic) suspension and a Scania DC13 diesel engine with an output of 620 horsepower, allowing the approximately 33-ton vehicle to travel at a maximum speed of 100 km/h on the road.
The platform is available in various configurations equipped with machine guns, 30mm automatic cannons, and anti-tank missiles. In terms of protection, Dragon has all-round protection against 14.5mm shells and 155mm shell fragments at a distance of 25m.
In addition, it is designed to withstand the explosion of up to 10 kg of TNT under the wheel, meeting NATO standards. stanag 4569 Meets level 4. If additional armor is applied to the front and sides, it is expected to be able to respond to 25mm automatic cannon fire.
The Dragon 8×8 is scheduled to become the backbone of the Spanish Army’s future wheeled armored vehicle force under the Fuerza 35 system, and will gradually replace the older M113 and reconnaissance vehicle Pegaso VEC-M1, which have been in operation for more than 40 years.
Criticism of the contract and program
The contract to supply 348 units was signed in August 2020, and the budget was 2 billion eurosпредусматри exceeds 5 years. The first batch for testing arrived in 2022 according to the initial schedule.
Despite recent progress, the Dragon program has been repeatedly criticized in Spanish military media. According to reports, technical and organizational problems are being pointed out, including excessive weight, rear lamp problems, pulley failure, dynamometer instability, and difficulties in obtaining test approvals for the turret, hull, machinery, and electronic systems.
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Source and image: Ministerio Defensa – X @Defensagob. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
