Navantia announced important collaboration agreements at this edition of FEINDEF. It signed an MoU with Leonardo to jointly market naval defense solutions that complement the product portfolios of both companies. It has also expanded its MoU with S2GRUPO to strengthen its strategic alliance in cyber defense, with the aim of developing advanced, modular, and adaptable technological solutions to the current and future security needs of the Armed Forces, both national and in international coalitions.
Navantia has also signed an MoU with Diehl to jointly explore the development and integration of naval air defense systems, and another with Rheinmetall Air Defence, Rheinmetall Expal Munitions, and SAPA Placencia to combine their strengths and collaborate on the development of advanced technologies that enhance Europe's strategic autonomy in the defense sector.
Its president, Ricardo Domínguez, gave a talk yesterday entitled "Navantia, spearhead of innovation," in which he detailed the initiatives that are transforming production centers, such as the digital block factory in Ferrol (A Coruña), the flat open unit workshop in San Fernando (Cádiz), and the flat panel line in Puerto Real (Cádiz).
The company has dedicated more than €540 million to investments to modernize and transform its production processes since 2019, representing an investment of nearly €100 million annually, aiming to position the shipyards among the most advanced in the world.
Ricardo Domínguez detailed the initiatives that are transforming production centers, such as the digital block factory in Ferrol (A Coruña), the flat open unit workshop in San Fernando (Cádiz), and the flat panel line in Puerto Real (Cádiz). “We have made the right decisions: investment decisions, R&D decisions, technological and industrial transformation decisions, and human capital decisions, all with the aim of being prepared to adequately respond to the challenges that lie ahead,” he emphasized.
Domínguez emphasized the company's commitment to technological innovation as a cornerstone of Navantia's development, with R&D investment in 2024 exceeding 10% of fiscal year revenue.
Furthermore, he emphasized that a large part of this R&D is linked to programs for the Ministry of Defense: “We are talking about the most technologically advanced frigates in existence and the most advanced conventional submarines on the market because they have systems that guarantee the superiority of our ships in an increasingly complex global scenario.”
Ricardo Domínguez has announced that the latest call for proposals from the European Defense Fund has selected the NEREUS project, in which Navantia coordinates 24 companies and organizations from 14 European countries. This program is valued at €64 million, with up to €45 million in European funding. Its objective is to define the foundations of a "system of systems" for future European ships, in order to create a common infrastructure that allows for integrated, multi-domain operations.
"In the current geopolitical context, the EU is making important investment decisions in defense, and the industry must be prepared to respond appropriately. It is up to us to convert this investment into operational capabilities available to our armed forces," he noted, emphasizing that at this edition of FEINDEF, Navantia has signed collaboration agreements with various Spanish and European companies.
