On October 4 and 5, we attended the 5th Meeting of the Advisory Council of the Defense Industry Cluster (CID), held in Cartagena. The meeting, dedicated to “The Organization of the Defense Industry in Spain and Europe,” brought together members of the Advisory Council, representatives of the Armed Forces, member companies, and institutional guests.
As a company that is part of the CID, we participated in an event that combined an institutional visit to the Cartagena Arsenal with a working session at the Naval Officers' Club.
Visit to the Arsenal and the Submarine Fleet
The day on October 5 began at the Cartagena Arsenal and at the Submarine Flotilla Base (FLOSUB). There, we were welcomed by Vice Admiral Alejandro Cuerda Lorenzo and the commander of FLOSUB, Captain Alfonso Carrasco Santos.
The visit gave us a firsthand look at one of the Navy’s main bases, whose facilities house the new S-80-class submarines, including the S-81 “Isaac Peral,” the first submarine in the series delivered by Navantia.
Working Session at the Naval Officers' Club
The session was opened by Manuel Vila, outgoing president of the CID, and featured three speakers whose remarks focused on the current needs of the three branches of the military and the sector:
- Antonio Fonfría, a professor at the Complutense University of Madrid and the IEEE (CESEDEN), analyzed the outlook for the Spanish defense industry over the next ten years. He advocated for greater sectoral specialization within a more integrated Europe.
- Josep Borrell, former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, addressed the difficulties member states face in coordinating joint responses. He also warned of the high level of dependence on foreign suppliers for military equipment.
- Fernando García Sánchez, Admiral (Ret.), former Chief of the General Staff and chairman of the Advisory Council, presented the CID 26/27 Action Plan. He emphasized the need to facilitate the integration of small and medium-sized enterprises into the defense industry and to enable them to become suppliers to the three branches of the military.
Our Commitment to the Defense Industry
We’ve returned from Cartagena with a message we fully endorse: reducing dependence on foreign sources requires strengthening our own technological capabilities and making room for innovative small and medium-sized enterprises. This is the work we’re promoting through our line of work on artificial intelligence applied to defense.
We would like to thank the Defense Industry Cluster for organizing an event that brings together the Armed Forces, industry, institutions, and expertise.