The Spanish Ministry of Defense has commissioned Airbus to develop and produce a drone. Airbus will provide the Spanish armed forces with nine systems. Each system consists of three drones and a base station. The contract also includes two simulators.
The system will be called Sirtap. Once development is complete, it will fly reconnaissance missions over land and water. In order to fulfill this function, the system will be able to fly for up to 20 hours. The maximum range is 2,000 km. Airbus gives the payload as 150 kg. The company plans to present the first airworthy prototype in 2025.
“This new technological milestone in the tactical UAS segment will strengthen national sovereignty together with the Spanish Ministry of Defense. Sirtap will be fully developed in Spain and will integrate national capabilities,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Military Air Systems at Airbus Defense and Space. However, Airbus also expects the system to be successful on the international market. Thanks to its versatility and the use of ITAR-free components, it can be assumed that the system could also gain a foothold here.
