The programmes include everything from combat vehicles to radar satellites, although disagreement persists over the percentage of GDP needed.
– The bilateral meeting with NATO in Madrid, known as ‘Step 3‘, will put the state of Spain’s military capabilities on the table.
– Defence will present to NATO representatives at the end of January the Chief of Staff’s capabilities objective, the troop increase and the 79 programmes currently under development.
– These programmes cover land, naval, aerospace, cyber and information systems.
– They include 31 Special Modernisation Plans, ranging from tracked combat vehicles to upgrading F-100 frigates, electronic warfare systems and multi-role helicopters.
– The Industrial and Technological Plan for Security and Defence, approved in April 2024, has mobilised an additional 10,741 million euros this year, an amount that has been fully executed.
– Spain pledged at the Hague summit to allocate 2% of GDP to defence, as opposed to the 5% agreed by other allies.
– Pedro Sánchez’s government maintains that with 2.1% of GDP it can meet the agreed capability requirements.
– NATO considers that at least 3.5% is needed.
– The investment also seeks to strengthen national strategic autonomy and the defence industrial base, with a high participation of Spanish companies in the programmes.
– Plans include knowledge transfer and reduction of foreign dependencies.
– Spain has around 4,000 military personnel and civil guards deployed in 15 countries during 2025, as approved by the Council of Ministers on 23 December.
– The most significant participation is concentrated on NATO’s eastern flank, with troops in Latvia, Slovakia and Romania.
– It also maintains a presence in the ‘Persistent Effort’ operation, which brings together air police and airspace defence missions, in addition to the Permanent Naval Groupings.
– The executive branch describes the balance of 2025 as very positive and assures that military investment is here to stay.