AERTEC, the international company specialized in aerospace and defense technology, has just announced that it has closed a deal with Indra for the sale of its subsidiary AERTEC DAS (Defence and Aerial Systems). With a staff of 46 people that will now be integrated into Indra's organization chart, DAS is responsible for the design and manufacture of the successful Tarsis Class 1 fixed-wing unmanned aerial system, and its armed versions, the Tarsis-W, and its intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance versions, the Tarsis-ISTAR.
In the words of Antonio Gómez-Guillamón, co-founder and CEO of AERTEC, this is a "strategic" operation: "Our UAS/RPAS division has been able to develop the Tarsis family from scratch, becoming the absolute national leader in the segment of high performance unmanned aerial systems up to 150 kg take-off weight. A range of high technology platforms and systems that have reached sufficient maturity to access the market and currently with industrial capacity already operational. Now, with this operation, we hope and expect that products such as the Tarsis will benefit from the renewed industrial and technological muscle that a national leader such as Indra could provide", stated Gómez-Guillamón. For the CEO, "this operation also strengthens the Spanish value chain in the drone field from Andalusia and consolidates a pole of national technological sovereignty that joins the challenge of European strategic autonomy".
With this purchase and sale, the assets of AERTEC DAS will strengthen Indra's new subsidiary, Weapons & Ammunitions, creating a solid and entirely Spanish competitive capacity to lead this segment, bringing together Indra's experience in the management of large international programs with the proven capacity of AERTEC DAS in the design and manufacture of unmanned aerial systems thanks to the performance of its professionals.
The engineering capabilities of AERTEC DAS and the Tarsis UAS - developed by AERTEC with its own technology and differentiating features - represent a unique element in the sector. This has been understood by Indra, whose intention now is to rely on the purchase of DAS for the creation of an industrial and engineering center for drones in Andalusia. In the current international scenario, unmanned aerial systems have established themselves as decisive tools in the transformation of defense and security. Their ability to operate in hostile environments, perform persistent surveillance missions and act with surgical precision makes them strategic assets for power projection, deterrence and territorial control. In recent conflicts, they have proven to be decisive in both conventional and asymmetric operations, marking a doctrinal evolution in the use of air assets.
AERTEC, from now on
Following the signing of the operation, which took place in Malaga on 29 July, AERTEC provides an important service for consolidating Spanish technological sovereignty in Defence and is financially reinforced to accelerate its global expansion in the rest of its divisionsAirports, Engineering for the aerospace industry, Aircraft systems and precision guided munitions.
In that regard, AERTEC will continue its international expansion in key markets Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, it will invest in technological developments related to aircraft electrification, GNC (Guidance, Navigation and Control) systems, flight computers and cabin connectivity, and will culminate the development and qualification of its products in precision-guided munitions, such as the FOX micro-missile and the BAT guided bomb.
IMPORTANT NOTE: References to texts and graphic content relating to the TARSIS solution are merely reviews of the historical trajectory of projects carried out by AERTEC in the past. Currently, TARSIS is not a product owned by AERTEC, nor does AERTEC conduct business as an OEM.
