Emirati defence technology house EDGE and Spanish technology and defence company Indra have agreed to establish a new defence manufacturing joint venture in Spain focused on the development, production, and lifecycle support of loitering munitions and smart weapons for Spanish and European defence programmes, the two companies announced on 13 January 2026.
The agreement was signed by Hamad Al Marar, managing director and CEO of EDGE Group, and José Vicente de Los Mozos, CEO of Indra Group.
Subject to the approval of the EDGE and Indra boards, the new joint venture will be established in Spain as a dedicated manufacturing entity. It will draw on EDGE’s expertise in loitering munitions and smart weapons to support manufacturing, assembly, and lifecycle activities for Spanish and European defence programmes. Loitering munition systems would be produced in the province of León at a new manufacturing facility developed by Indra, which will invest an estimated EUR 15-20 million.
This approach, the companies said in a joint press release, ensures that advanced systems are produced in country, aligned with European sovereignty requirements, and available at scale to meet rapidly increasing demand across the European defence market. The initiative reflects the shared commitment of Indra and EDGE to building sovereign and export-ready industrial capabilities in Europe, combining advanced weapons technology with established European-scale manufacturing and programme execution capacity.
“Establishing this joint venture with Indra in Spain marks a decisive step in EDGE’s expansion into Europe,” Al Marar was quoted as saying. “By developing loitering munition capabilities in Spain, we are enabling in-country manufacturing and responding directly to the scale and urgency of European defence requirements while building long-term industrial capability with a trusted partner.”
“Through this initiative, Indra takes a decisive step in its ambition to become a European reference in the drone industry,” added De Los Mozos. “The development of capacities enables us to rapidly respond to the needs of the loitering munition market: a segment of strong attractiveness experiencing accelerated growth.”
