The Nato Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) has awarded Thales’ Spanish subsidiary a contract to supply a Deployable Tactical Air Navigation (D-TACAN) system to the Spanish Air & Space Force.
Under the contract, Thales will deliver a comprehensive support package including spare parts, training, and technical documentation to ensure the system’s long-term reliability.
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The D-TACAN system will be manufactured by Thales at its Gorgonzola facility near Milan, Italy, before being integrated and maintained by Thales in Spain.
According to Thales, this arrangement highlights the collaborative industrial ties between European defence companies and supports broader strategic autonomy in defence manufacturing.
Based on Thales’ Ground Based TACAN 553 technology, the D-TACAN system provides a fully autonomous navigation capability designed for rapid deployment.
The equipment is integrated into a 20ft ISO shelter, making it suitable for transportation by air, sea, rail, or road, and is engineered to maintain 24/7 operations in challenging environments.
The system is intended to support military air operations in scenarios where GNSS or other satellite navigation signals may be disrupted or unavailable.
Thales Spain will also manage local engineering, maintenance, and training requirements as part of the package, with the aim of bolstering the Spanish Air & Space Force’s ability to field resilient, mission-ready navigation infrastructure.
Thales Spain CEO and Iberia & Türkiye vice president Jésus Sanchez-Bargos said: “Building on decades of expertise in TACAN technology, our team in Spain is proud to support locally the Spanish Air & Space Force and Nato allies with a deployable system designed to operate wherever missions require.
“In particular, our team will provide local engineering expertise, maintenance and training services, ensuring the system remains fully operational throughout its lifecycle and delivering the close, long-term support that is essential to the Spanish Air & Space Force’s operational readiness.”
The NSPA framework agreement also permits other Nato member states and agencies with similar requirements to acquire the D-TACAN system in the future.
Thales noted that its facility in Italy remains the only European manufacturing site for both ground-based TACAN beacons and airborne TACAN interrogators, underscoring its strategic manufacturing role within Europe’s air navigation sector.
Delivery timelines and the total contract value were not disclosed in the announcement.
