The Spanish Army officially received 40 new VCR 8×8 Dragón wheeled combat vehicles, in a ceremony held at the “Álvarez de Sotomayor” Base, headquarters of the Legion, located in the province of Almería. The incorporation of these units marks a new step forward in the process of modernizing the land capabilities of the Spanish Armed Forces.
During the ceremony, the Minister of Defense highlighted the relevance of the VCR 8×8 Dragón program for the interoperability of the Spanish Army in multinational operations. As she stated, “thanks to this program, the interoperability of the Spanish Army is improved, as well as its reliability and responsibility within the framework of NATO, EU, and UN missions”.
Modernization and replacement of obsolete equipment
The delivery of these 40 vehicles is part of a program launched with the objective of replacing systems that have been in service for decades, such as the BMR 6×6 wheeled armored vehicles and the VEC-M1, originally introduced from the 1970s onward. The VCR 8×8 Dragón was designed to meet the requirements set by the General Staff and to operate in high-demand operational scenarios.
In this regard, the Minister of Defense underlined that the vehicle prioritizes crew protection, noting that it is a platform developed with special emphasis on safety, “because our service members are the most important”.
The Chief of Staff of the Spanish Army, Army General Amador Enseñat, stated that the incorporation of the VCR 8×8 Dragón makes it possible to move toward “that model of a modern and future-oriented army, balanced and sustainable”, linking the program to other projects included in the Security and Defense Plan.
Industrial scope and strategic autonomy
The VCR 8×8 Dragón program is developed by the TESS Defence consortium, made up of Indra, GDELS-Santa Bárbara Sistemas, Sapa Placencia, and Escribano Mechanical & Engineering. The initiative represents one of the main investments in armored vehicles by the Ministry of Defense, with an estimated value of around 2.4 billion euros and a final objective of 384 units.
The Secretary of State for Defense, Amparo Valcarce, pointed out that the program has driven innovation in critical areas of the defense industry, highlighting that, thanks to a large-scale investment, employment is generated, industrial competitiveness is improved, and economic returns are consolidated across the different industrial corridors where production is carried out.
Training, operational evaluation, and logistical support
The entry into service of the new VCR 8×8 Dragón includes a specific training program aimed at drivers, vehicle commanders, gunners, instructors, and maintenance personnel. For this purpose, simulators and a weapons turret trainer have been incorporated, with the aim of optimizing the training process.
Likewise, the deployment of these units has required an expansion of initial logistical support, which included improvements to the facilities at the “Álvarez de Sotomayor” Base and the acquisition of equipment to operate a mobile maintenance echelon.
In parallel, the Spanish Army continues with operational evaluations of the VCR 8×8 Dragón and its different variants, such as the Combat Engineer Vehicle (VCZ), as part of a progressive process aimed at full operational integration. These evaluations are being carried out after having passed the corresponding qualification and acceptance tests, under the supervision of the General Directorate of Armament and Materiel (DGAM).
The reception of these 40 units represents a new step in the gradual incorporation of the VCR 8×8 Dragón into the Spanish Army, within a program that continues to move forward after several years of development, technical adjustments, and reorganization of delivery schedules.
*Images obtained from the Spanish Ministry of Defense.
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