Defensa.con reports that the Executive Branch’s strategy to reduce dependence on Israel’s defense technology began as a political initiative aligned with Spain’s international position. However, its practical development has revealed collateral effects that directly affect the aerospace and defense industry, one of the sectors with the greatest strategic and export weight in the country.
The legal framework is based on Royal Decree-Law 10/2025 published in the Official State Gazette, which introduces restrictions on trade in defense and dual-use equipment. The standard, designed in a hurry, had a direct impact on the integration of certain essential technological systems for military aircraft manufactured in Spain.
For months, the problem remained in the background. However, when regulations began to affect late-stage export programs, the risk was no longer theoretical. The inability to receive certain components compromised deliveries to international customers and threatened to paralyze entire production lines.
The industry faces an unprecedented blockade
The aircraft factories of Seville became the epicenter of the conflict. They assemble military aircraft intended for both the Spanish armed forces and allied countries, under contracts that require strict certifications and strict adherence to deadlines.
The interruption in the supply of certain technological systems endangers not only delivery times, but also Spain’s industrial credibility as a reliable partner in international programs. In a highly competitive market, any delays can result in financial penalties or loss of future contracts.
Strategic programs under threat
The situation has affected several of the main aeronautical programs developed in Spain, considered essential for the economic viability of production lines and for maintaining advanced industrial capacities.
- Large capacity military transport aircraft with European customers.
- In-flight refueling platforms with strong international demand.
- Tactical aircraft in transport and maritime surveillance versions.
- New generation remotely piloted aerial systems.
In all these cases, the immediate replacement of certain components was not viable without compromising certifications, without redesigning complex systems or without assuming deadlines incompatible with the signed contracts.
The political decision that changes the game
Given the scale of the industrial risk, the Government has introduced an additional provision which allows the transfer of defense and dual-use equipment to be authorised, exceptionally, in circumstances affecting the general interest.
The measure was adopted after a favorable report from the Interministerial Council for the Regulation of Foreign Trade in Defense and Dual-Use Equipment. The text explicitly recognizes that strict application of the standard could generate a considerable economic, industrial and technological impact.
Employment, technology and strategic autonomy
The affected production lines support thousands of direct, highly skilled jobs, in addition to a vast network of ancillary companies and technology providers located throughout the national territory.
The paralysis of programs would have had a domino effect on the industrial fabric, with consequences that would be difficult to reverse in the short term. In addition to employment, the issue was the conservation of technological capabilities considered essential to Spain’s strategic autonomy.
The Executive itself recognizes that there are no immediate alternatives to replace certain systems with the same technical and operational guarantees. This lack of substitutes reinforced the need to apply the exception provided by the rule.
A delicate balance between foreign policy and industry
This decision is not without internal tensions within the government. However, the final wording emphasizes that the authorization is exceptional and does not imply a general modification of the technological restriction policy.
From an industrial point of view, the measure provides legal certainty and allows compliance with international commitments already acquired. In the medium term, this reopens the debate on the need to strengthen the development of clean or European technologies reducing external dependence.
A precedent with future implications
The authorization granted constitutes a relevant precedent in the management of defense industrial policy. For the first time, the government explicitly recognizes that certain regulatory decisions can endanger general interests if they are not applied flexibly.
The Spanish aerospace industry is now carefully monitoring the executive’s next actions. The continuity of current programs is assured in the short term, but the debate on technological autonomy and the balance between foreign policy and industry will remain open.
With this decision, an immediate impact on military production in Spain is avoided and the viability of strategic programs that support employment, exports and technological capacity in a key sector for the country is preserved.
About The Author
