He Ministry of Defense decided to finance several projects for the development of loiter ammoone of the most observed military capabilities after its extensive use in conflicts like Ukraine. The initiative is part of the Coincident R&D program, one of the department’s main instruments to promote technologies considered strategic for the armed forces.
The selection was made by the Directorate General for Defense Industry Strategy and Innovation (Digeid), the body responsible for identifying developments of potential military interest. The selected projects have been formally classified as being of interest to Defense, which opens the door to their public funding. Official information can be found in the Official Gazette of the Ministry of Defense.
A direct boost to domestic loitering munitions
The Defense decision affects three different initiatives presented by four Spanish companies: Arquimea, Swarming Technologies Solutions (STS), Instalaza and Sistemas de Control Remoto (SCR). All have prior experience in unmanned systems, smart weapons or the integration of autonomous platforms.
Stray ammunition, also known as loiter ammocombines the characteristics of drones and missiles. It allows you to stay in the air for long periods of time, identify targets and execute precision attacks when the order is received. This capability makes it a key tool for modern operations.
Arquimea pilots the Mamma project
The first of the selected projects is called Advanced Medium Range Loitering Munition, known as Mamma. It is led by Arquimea, with the participation of the Arquimea Research Center and Instalaza. Although the official resolution does not detail technical specifications, the name indicates a significant increase in operational scope.
Arquimea already has mature systems in this area. The Q-Slam 40 has been exported to several countries and recently entered service with the Marine Corps, becoming the first operational loitering ammunition in Spain. The company is also working on the Q-Slam 100, a system with greater autonomy, a payload of up to four kilograms and a range of up to 60 kilometers.
Integration into land and naval platforms
The second selected project corresponds to the Milpro initiative, acronym for Milvus Pro Loitering Ammunition. It is promoted by Swarming Technologies Solutions, a Zelenza Group company, in collaboration with Instalaza through a temporary union of companies. Seadrone and Einsa are also involved in the development.
One of the most important aspects of this project is the integration of stray munitions into existing unmanned platforms. Seadrone brings its experience in the field of unmanned surface vehicles, while Einsa contributes with land platforms such as the Alano system, in which this type of munition has already been tested before.
The Milvus system and its evolution
Instalaza and STS have been collaborating for several years on the development of a family of fixed-wing munitions under the name Milvus. These systems support different types of warheads and have been publicly presented at specialized exhibitions such as Feindef, the main defense and security event held in Madrid.
The selection of the Milpro project reinforces the commitment to modular and easy-to-integrate solutions, a growing trend in the European military industry.
High dynamics and advanced navigation
The third project approved by Defense is led by Remote Control Systems (SCR), a Sener Group company specializing in multi-purpose aerial platforms. The initiative is called Experimental High Dynamic Loitering Munition, known as Murade.
In this case, Instalaza participates again, making it the only company present in the three selected projects. Also collaborating is UAV Navigation, an Oesía Group company specializing in robust positioning and navigation systems for complex environments and operations with interference.
A coordinated industrial ecosystem
The Murade project aims to develop ammunition with superior dynamic performance, intended for demanding scenarios where maneuverability and precision are decisive. The combination of experience with aerial platforms, weaponry and advanced navigation reinforces the experimental but applied nature of the initiative.
With this decision, the Ministry of Defense consolidates a strategy to strengthen the national manufacturing industry loiter ammoreduce external dependencies and accelerate the transfer of technology to the armed forces. The selected projects mark an important step in the evolution of Spanish military capabilities.
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