Spain’s Dragon gains its claws with successful Spike integration

29th June 2022 - 16:00 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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The integration of the Guardian 30 with the Spike launch system confers a new and innovative strategic capability in the missile systems sector. (Photo: Escribano)

Escribano and PAP Tecnos have demonstrated the successful integration of the Spike missile in the Guardian 30 RWS, which will equip Spain’s future 8x8 Dragon vehicle.

Escribano Mechanical and Engineering and Rafael subsidiary PAP Tecnos successfully completed the integration of the Spike LR2 missile in the Guardian 30 RWS.

The Guardian 30 RWS has been selected by the Spanish Army in the D4 demonstrator of the 8x8 Dragon Armoured Wheeled Vehicles.

The first launch of the Spike missile from the Guardian 40 reached the target and demonstrated in the first shot the fulfilment of the specific requirements established by the Spanish Army in the 8x8.

Moreover, this is the first Spike LR2 missile launched in Spain from an RWS, which demonstrates the versatility of the Spike missile family and the protection and attack capacity that the Guardian 30 acquires with this integration.

The Guardian 30 completed its technical and operational evaluation tests in June 2021, following which, it was selected for the 8x8 contract.

According to Shephard Defence Insight, Spain will procure a total of 983 8x8 Dragon vehicles in 13 different variants under its Wheeled Combat Vehicle programme.