GMV contributes to development of aerial combat training system driving Spanish defense autonomy

On April 28, Airbus convened the Spanish companies tasked with developing the new Integrated Combat Training System (ITS-C) for the Spanish Air and Space Force. The contract was awarded in December 2025, and the program will replace the current F-5 fleet and feature 60% national industrial participation.

The ITS-C program, built on a joint development agreement between Airbus, as prime contractor, and Turkish Aerospace (TA), manufacturer of the HÜRJET training aircraft, will cover the entire advanced combat pilot training process for Spain, from the domestic adaptation of the 30-aircraft fleet, designated SAETA II, to the delivery of a comprehensive suite of operations and maintenance services. 

In addition to converting and integrating new equipment into the aircraft, Airbus will lead the redesign of the Fighter and Attack School Training Center at Talavera la Real Air Base in Extremadura. The center will include state-of-the-art simulators developed in partnership with Indra, and will provide logistics support for operations and maintenance of both the aircraft and synthetic training systems to ensure maximum fleet availability.

The program will unfold in two phases. Between 2028 and 2030, an initial batch of 21 aircraft will be received and a ground-based training system will be developed and built. Between 2031 and 2035, all 30 aircraft in the fleet will be converted and the simulators upgraded to match the new configuration.

Alongside other defense sector companies, GMV will participate in the SAETA II contract through the GENESIS team (Global Enhanced Navigation Equipment with SBAS and Inertial System), integrating key technologies for avionics and mission systems. GENESIS will be a critical platform component, providing a navigation solution with high levels of reliability, integrity, and availability. This will be achieved through the integration of civil navigation sensors, as well as advanced GNSS-inertial hybridization and multisensor fusion algorithms developed by GMV. GENESIS will also feature advanced resilient navigation capabilities, incorporating a European Galileo PRS receiver, a military GPS M-code receiver, and a next-generation CRPA antenna. Further, the system will detect and mitigate jamming and spoofing attempts, strengthening resilience against threats in complex electromagnetic environments.

GMV will also participate in the contract as lead developer of the ETMC (Embedded Training and Mission Computer), a key component in the domestic adaptation of the SAETA II fleet and in bolstering Spanish technological sovereignty. This unit will combine, on one hand, high-performance processing capabilities based on latest-generation processors and, on the other, a real-time domain. Collectively, the ETMC will establish GMV as a significant player in the development of sovereign, resilient, high-performance mission computers, reinforcing its position in mission systems for advanced aerospace platforms.

In connection with its participation in the project, GMV was present at the signing ceremony on April 28 and took part in the roundtable “Development of the National Industrial Base”, where Ricardo Sáenz, the company’s Director of Defense and Security Programs, spoke. 

GMV’s participation in this program alongside Airbus, Turkish Aerospace, and other industry partners will directly impact the sovereignty and independence of Spain’s defense sector.