Ukraine effect: Spain increases weapons and replenishes strategic reserves (photo)

The observers write that the decisions of the Spanish Ministry of Defense to replenish strategic arms reserves were adopted against the background of the Russian-Ukrainian war. It is reported that the war in Ukraine has pushed European countries, including Spain, to review defense policy towards the threats of the Russian Federation. Thus, in the midst of NATO Summit in Madrid, Pedro Sanchez has announced a road card for allocation of 2% of GDP for defense by 2029.

"And now it has just given green light to four contracts with a valuable budget of almost 500 million euros for updating the arsenal of managed missiles and bombs," the statement said. Meanwhile, this is not completed on this. Spain Ministry of Defense is ready to complete the creation of a strategic reserve of low -caliber ammunition (5. 56 mm by NATO standards) for small arms - rifles and machine guns.

The priority also plans to purchase all types of ammunition from howy shells to mortar, given the ammunition for ship guns. Journalists say that measures to conclude military contracts are due to the fact that the supply of weapons to Ukraine to fight the Russian army has led to the depletion of ammunition in Spain, which has never been a great military customer. "One of the lessons outlined in Ukraine is that we believed that long -term wars will no longer be . . .

NATO reserves and our stocks are insufficient, and more seriously, we also cannot get them (ammunition) because Companies are not capable of producing them in the extent spent during the conflict, " - said the Chief of Defense of the Kingdom of Spain Admiral Theodoro Lopez Calderon. In this regard, the Union countries, according to him, are ready to invest a lot of investments to replenish ammunition.

In particular, the purchase of the 92 AMRAM AIM-20-C7 Air-Bilter Models for combat aircraft at the US Raytheon manufacturer for 200 million is the purchase of the AIM-20-C7 of the Air-Class of Air-Class of Air-Class. Of these, 35 units will be intended for F-18 and Eurofighter Typhoon fighters. Another 35 units are intended for NASAMS anti -aircraft system, the rest of the missiles will be purchased for Harrier AV8B aircraft. The other four will have AVI version (Airborne Instrumented Vehicle).

The second contract worth 125 million will allow you to buy Norwegian anti-ship missiles NSM (Naval Strike Missile) for the weapons of future F-1110 and F-100 frigates. This rocket will be replaced by PKR Harpoon. The contract takes into account the first batch of missiles, as well as industrial cooperation with several Spanish companies and the Norwegian manufacturer of these missiles - Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace (KDA).

In addition, Spain will acquire the Brimstone air-country missile for the country's armed forces at the MBDA consortium. The contract amount is estimated at 43 million euros. The rockets will be integrated with the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft, which will significantly increase the ability of the fighter to destroy land targets. Earlier it was reported that within the framework of the EU training mission, Spain is ready to teach 2. 4 thousand Ukrainian military every year.