Conference OFICAEX (DGAM) in EU and NATO with Spanish Defence Industry

BRUSSELS - Feb. 27, 2019 - PRLog -- Directorate General of Armament and Material (DGAM) organized Industry Days in the EU and NATO, in collaboration with the Permanent Representation to NATO in Brussels (REPER NATO), the Permanent Representation to the European Union (REPER UE) and the Military Representation (MILREP) to NATO and the European Union.

This Conference was held on January 23^rd and 24^th 2019 in Brussels, in the case of the NATO Day in 2019 it reaches its third edition, while the Day in the EU celebrated its second edition.

DGAM through OFICAEX (Office of Foreign Support), belonging to the SDG-REINT (SubDirectorate of International Relationships), has managed to consolidate this Industry Day as a reference for the Spanish Defense Industry, and to confirm them as an excellent tool to develop one of the main objectives that OFICAEX (according to the National Defense Directive 2012) has entrusted: Institutional Support for the Internationalization of the Spanish Defense Industry (AI3DE).

The conference in the EU was opened by Ambassador Juan Aristegui, Lieutenant General Juan Montenegro (MILREP) and Major General Felipe de la Plaza (SDG-REINT of the DGAM). In his presentation, Lieutenant General Montenegro (MILREP) highlighted "... the necessary collaboration with the Defense Industry through the DGAM ...", as well as the importance of PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation) and the European Defense Fund (EDF) to strengthen the development of a competitive Defense Industry.

Industry Day at EU also had the participation of the Executive Director of the European Defense Agency (EDA), Mr. Jorge Domecq who highlighted the structured dialogue of the EDA with the Defense Industry as an excellent opportunity for the Spanish Defense Industry to present its capabilities and exploit the full potential that PESCO assumes as the backbone of the European Union's Defense and Security Policy.

Industry Day at NATO, held at NATO headquarters in Brussels, was inaugurated by Ambassador D. Miguel Fernández -Palacios (REPER NATO), Lieutenant General Juan Montenegro (MILREP) and Admiral Santiago González Gómez (DIGAM)

In this Conference highlighted the presentations of capabilities made by some of the leading Spanish companies in the defense sector and selected by OFICAEX as representative of the capabilities that the Spanish Defense Industry can provide to the developed Security and Defense programs promoted by both the Union European as by NATO.

In this section highlighted the presentations of NAVANTIA, INDRA, GMV, TECNOBIT, HISDESAT, SANTA BARBARA GDELS, etc. As well as the presentation of HISPANO VEMA, in which Mr. Rafael Arruga (Director of Business Development) presented CBRN Decontamination capabilities and solutions which Hispano Vema has developed based on Innovation, New CBRN Decontamination Technologies (http://www.hispanovema.com/en/cbrn-decontamination-cbrn-d...)  and Modular and Customized Design to fulfill customer operational capabilities.

CBRN Decontamination Systems and Technologies focused especially on the main challenges and hot topics that increasing Hazmat threats  (with chemical, biological and radiological agents) represents: the decontamination of people and decontamination of electronic equipment (as part of the protection of critical infrastructures). (http://www.hispanovema.com/en/cbrn-decontamination-cbrn-d...)

General Luis López, Chief of OFICAEX (JOFICAEX), highlighted the excellent competitive and technological position of the representatives of the Spanish Army and the Ministry of Defense present in the different European and NATO institutions and that attended these conferences. Spanish defense industry, its international vocation (the share of exports of the sector exceeds 80%) as well as the commitment of the Ministry of Defense (Ministry of Defense) through the DGAM in institutional support to the Defense Industry Spanish.

Concepts and approach that Major General Felipe de la Plaza (SDG-REINT of DGAM) summarized in three fundamental pillars of action: "... first, the participation of the Spanish Army in EU and NATO Missions. Second, work in cooperation capacities and programs (F110, VCR 8x8, H90, Eurofighter, etc). And third, the adaptation (Military, Civil and Industry) to the new environments ... ".

These ideas and words were underlined by the General Director of Armament and Material (DIGAM), Admiral Santiago González Gómez, who at the close of the Conference encouraged companies in the defense industry sector to continue betting on an international presence more active, participate in European consortia and take advantage of the opportunities that the European Union and NATO provides to the Defense Industry.