Indra, the premier IT company in Spain and a leading IT multinational in Europe, was awarded several contracts with the Armada Española through Navantia, to provide the new F-105 frigate with defence systems. The contracts, which amount to more than €40M, include IFF identification, surveillance and electronic defence and communication systems.
This contract reaffirms the Armada's trust in Indras technology, as the company is already implementing these systems in the Juan Carlos LHD ship and in the Cantabria combat supply ship. Besides these contracts for the fifth F-100 frigate, there is another one to modernise the Santa María F-81 frigate for 6M Euro.
The contracts are an acknowledgment to Indra’s capabilities in these sectors. Furthermore, the Armada chose Indra´s Aries radar and electronic defence systems to provide all ships with identification systems. These systems are being implemented in the Juan Carlos I LHD ship and in the Cantabria Combat Supply ship. The IFF identification system is an interrogator-transponder system which will incorporate NATO’s mode 5 of identification allowing friend-foe identification of the platforms within range as well as self-identification if required.
The surveillance system will incorporate two Aries radar systems. This system, developed by Indra, possesses low-probability of interception and can either perform navigation or surface exploration radar functions. Thanks to its distance resolution in cm, as well as its local capability of automate imagery followup, it is significantly superior to its peers, not only in functionality but also in versatility.
It is worth noticing Indra’s electronic defence systems designed for detection, analysis, classification and identification of signals. Based on digital reception techniques, these systems are capable of intercepting low probability of interception signals (LPI).
Indra will also provide the new frigate with DIANA F-100 on board navigation data distribution, the MIDS ON Ship communications, navigation and identification system as well as the hull-mounted sonar; a key element to detect, locate, followup and analyse submarine threats and movements with the surface of the ship through acoustic signals transmission and reception.
The Armada Española has four F-100 frigates. In 2007, the construction of F-105 started. So far it has not been officially named, but it might be "Roger de Lauria", and it is expected to be concluded by 2012.
Modernisation of the Santa Maria F-81
Besides the contracts for F-105, Indra was recently awarded a contract with the Armada through Navantia to modernise the Santa Maria F-81 frigate for €6M.
This contract is also an acknowledgement to the experience Indra obtained with the modernisation of the remaining frigates of the Santa María type. Once more Indra is present in a key programme of the Strategic Defence review which aims at providing the Spanish Army with avant-garde air, land and sea means in order to guarantee national security as well as participation in the programmes of allied countries.
The contract includes Indra’s proprietary RESM electronic defence system, updates of SHF SATCOM satellite communication system also developed by the company and of the fire control system.
Indra is the premier Information Technology company in Spain and a leading IT multinational in Europe and Latin America. It is ranked as the second European company in its sector according to stock market capitalisation, and it is one of the three Spanish companies with more investment in R&D. In 2007, revenues reached € 2.167 M, of which a third came from the international market. The company employs more than 24.000 professionals and has clients in more than 90 countries.