- VALERO has been designed to contribute to collaborative combat, reducing the risk and increasing the success of the mission through the use of different kinds of payloads that can be configured in keeping with the task entrusted to it
- Thanks to its flexibility and capacity for collaboration, saturation and deception, and the fact that it can be launched from different platforms or the surface, it will make it easier to cope with emerging threats and the new multi-domain scenarios
- The result of a project launched in 2023, VALERO is a fully national system that promotes the strategic autonomy of Spain and Europe and involves the entire value chain, helping position Spanish industry on the international stage
FEINDEF is the setting that has been chosen by Indra to showcase one of the most advanced systems it’s been working on in recent months to meet the needs of the Armed Forces in the complex defence scenarios and operations that are emerging. It’s known as VALERO and it’s a weapon system based on a new multi-purpose air vehicle designed to fly in different modes and carry various kinds of payloads, depending on the mission to be fulfilled, with capabilities that can prove vital in multi-domain confrontations.
Very few countries in the world can boast an operational system of these characteristics, although there is significant interest in securing one, and therefore VALERO will help position Indra and the entire Spanish industry in an area with high potential for growth.
In addition to the light Multi-Purpose Air Vehicle (MAV), the VALERO weapon system is complemented by a configurable surface launcher, a planning and control ground segment, and the associated support equipment.
Due to its modular nature, the MAV can be configured with different payloads to determine the role of the weapon system, based on the operational scenario and mission. It’s designed to be mission expendable or, optionally, recoverable, and it can be launched from different air and surface platforms.
These features, together with its ability to saturate and deceive, the possibility of low-cost mass combat with a high number of MAVs, and its collaborative capabilities for work with other participants in the mission, will enable VALERO to increase combat power during operations. Consequently, it will become a key player when it comes to dealing with the new threats set to emerge in the future multi-domain scenarios, while reducing the degree of risk faced by the crews and valuable platforms.
The result of a project initiated in 2023, VALERO is a fully domestic product that meets the current needs of the Armed Forces and promotes the strategic autonomy of Spain and Europe in a key area for the future. It also boosts industrial and technological development with a dual civil and military impact and involves the entire value chain, thus helping position Spanish industry in the international arena.
“The aim of this innovative, ambitious and structural project is to drive the national industrial fabric throughout the country. For this purpose, we’re collaborating with different companies in the sector, attracting talent, endowing ourselves with industrial capabilities, and relying on universities and specialized centers. With VALERO we’ll contribute to reinforcing our industry, creating quality jobs and consolidating industrial corridors that can address the new challenges facing the sector and help us define the future of defence”, declared Manuel Rodríguez Cerezo, director of Weapons & Ammunitions at Indra.
Following the definition of the operational concept, the definition of the architectures and the systems engineering of the system, Indra is working on the solution’s design and demonstrators.
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