Indra accelerates defense deliveries and seeks Santa Bárbara alliance amid debate over a second military plant

Indra’s new leadership, with Ángel Simón as president and Josep Maria Recasens as CEO, placed on‑time delivery and rebuilding industrial partnerships at the centre of its strategy. The company aims to speed up deliveries of the 8×8 Dragón armored vehicle programme, which has suffered significant delays, and to unlock a joint venture with Santa Bárbara Sistemas for artillery and wheeled‑vehicle projects. Recent production has risen, with Tess Defence delivering 14 new units and a target of over 100 vehicles by 2026 and the first phase completed by the end of 2028. Recasens announced a strategic plan focused on execution, talent and industrial cooperation across Europe.

At the same time, Indra is evaluating a second military‑vehicle factory. The discussion pits a proposed site in As Pontes, Galicia, against the existing Barros plant in Asturias, where the regional president Adrián Barbón pledged to keep the facility and use legal measures to protect the investment. Indra has not disclosed details of its industrial roadmap publicly, but it is preparing additional testing and production capacity in Gijón while seeking a new location to meet growing demand.