The TESS Defense consortium has completed the transfer of a VCR 8×8 Dragon armored vehicle from the Trubia factory to Indra’s industrial facilities in Gijón, in an operation that represents an important step in the process of industrial maturity of the program. The movement took place on December 24 and made it possible to validate for the first time the capabilities of this Asturian factory with a complete and fully operational vehicle.
The transferred unit comes from the General Dynamics European Land Systems – Santa Bárbara Sistemas facility in Trubia, where the hulls are manufactured and where many of the Dragon’s systems are integrated. Until now, the usual course of the program took the vehicles directly to Seville to carry out final tests. This controlled detour therefore introduces a significant novelty.
A transfer with an industrial objective
The sending of the 8×8 video recorder to Gijón is part of the gradual training process of the factories involved in the program. The aim was not to make technical modifications to the vehicle, but to verify essential aspects of the industrial facility known as the Workshop, including accessibility, internal maneuverability and suitability of spaces for future final assembly tasks.
Indra confirmed that this is the first armored vehicle with these characteristics to arrive at its factory in Gijón, where the company focuses its activity on military land systems. The positive validation of these tests opens the door that, when the final assembly line is fully operational, these types of transfers will become part of the normal flow of the program.
Indra’s role in the 8×8 VCR
Indra is one of the main partners of the TESS Defense consortium, alongside Santa Bárbara Sistemas, Escribano Mechanical & Engineering and Sapa Placencia. His responsibility focuses on the integration of the vehicle’s electronic, command and control systems and digital architecture, a key aspect for the Dragon’s interoperability with other Army systems.
The arrival of a complete vehicle allows the company to move forward in preparing its facilities to take on heavier tasks in later phases of the program, thereby strengthening industrial distribution and reducing bottlenecks at other factories.
The transferred vehicle: VCZ configuration
The displaced unit corresponds to the VCZ configuration, Sapper Combat Vehicle, one of the four basic variants of the VCR 8×8 Dragon. This model is designed for mobility support missions, engineers and for overcoming obstacles on the battlefield.
The vehicle is fully equipped and operational, so it does not require any technical updates after passing through Gijón. It incorporates the Common Interface front anchoring system, which allows different tools to be installed depending on the assigned mission.
Specific capabilities of VCZ
- Installation of a push excavator for earthmoving.
- Compatibility with mine rollers and plows.
- Direct support to engineering units in complex operations.
- High ballistic and mine protection.
These capabilities make the VCZ an essential element within sapper units, particularly in scenarios where mobility and route opening are critical.
Next destination: Seville
After completing its stay in Gijón, the vehicle will be transferred to the Santa Bárbara Sistemas test track in Alcalá de Guadaira, where the dynamic testing of the program is currently focused. This facility is the only one in Europe to combine a test track and a production factory on the same site.
Currently, more than 40 units of the VCR 8×8 Dragon are being tested on this track, allowing adjustments and verifications to be carried out immediately, thereby speeding up validation times.
One more step towards program maturity
The transfer of the VCR 8×8 to Gijón strengthens industrial integration between TESS Defense partners and consolidates the distribution of capabilities within the program. Beyond the symbolism, the operation demonstrates that the Dragon industrial chain is evolving towards a more flexible and distributed model.
This step confirms that the VCR 8×8 Dragón program continues to progress on the path to full operational and industrial maturity, strengthening the technological and productive base of the land defense industry in Spain and expanding the role of key factories like that of Gijón in future phases of the project.
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