Ejército de Tierra / Equipment

Spanish Land Forces Ejército de Tierra
Coat of arms of the Spanish army
active
Country	Spain
Armed forces	Spanish armed forces
Type	Armed forces (army)
Strength	75,680
Web presence	http://www.ejercito.mde.es

The article describes the most important parts of the equipment and armament of the Ejército de Tierra .

Light weapons

model	Type	image	Design country	number	Remarks
HK USP	gun		Germany		In 2011 they replaced the Llama M-82 as an orderly pistol for the Spanish army. The special forces of the army ( Mando de Operaciones Especiales ) use the USP SD.
HK G36	Assault rifle		Germany	around 60,000	Since 1999 Ordannance weapon of the Spanish armed forces.
Accuracy International AW50 / AW308	Sniper rifle		United Kingdom
Accuracy International AXMC 338	Sniper rifle		United Kingdom
Barrett M95	Sniper rifle		United States
HK MP5	Submachine gun		Germany		Use in GOE .
HK UMP	Submachine gun		Germany		Use in GOE .
HK MP7	Submachine gun		Germany		Use in GOE .
HK MG4	Machine gun		Germany	> 1,900	Light machine gun. Caliber 5.56 mm
MG3	Machine gun		Germany		Universal machine gun. Caliber 7.62 mm
FN MAG 58	Machine gun		Belgium		Universal machine gun. Used as an on-board machine gun on some FAMET helicopters . Caliber 7.62 mm
M60	Machine gun		United States		Universal machine gun. Used as an on-board machine gun on some CH-47 Chinooks of the FAMET . Caliber 7.62 mm. Will be replaced by M240 .
M240	Machine gun		United States		Universal machine gun. Serves as an on-board machine gun for the CH-47 Chinook of the FAMET . Caliber 7.62 mm.
Browning M2 HQCB	Heavy machine gun		United States		Mostly in use on various vehicles and helicopters. Caliber 12.7 mm.
FN M3M	Heavy machine gun		Belgium		Used as an on-board machine gun on some FAMET helicopters . Caliber 12.7 mm.
Instalaza Alhambra D / O	Hand grenade		Spain
HK AG36	Grenade launcher		Germany		Underflow grenade launcher in 40 mm caliber for the G36 assault rifle
SBS LAG-40	Grenade launcher		Spain		Machine grenade launcher in 40 mm caliber. Also mounted on various vehicles.
Mk 19	Grenade launcher		United States		Machine grenade launcher in 40 mm caliber. Also mounted on various vehicles.
ECIA L65 / 60	mortar		Spain		Caliber 60 mm
ECIA L65 / 81	mortar		Spain	920	Caliber 81 mm. 446 of them mounted on various vehicles.
Soltam Systems Cardom 120/81	mortar		Israel / Spain	10	Caliber 81 mm. All ten Soltam Cardom are permanently installed in armored URO VAMTAC S3 BN2.
ECIA L65 / 105	mortar		Spain		Caliber 105 mm.
ECIA L65 / 120	Mortar / tank mortar		Spain	389	120 mm caliber. 110 M113 were equipped with the ECIA L65 / 120 and converted into anti-tank mortars .
M125	Anti-tank mortar		United States	52	81 mm caliber tank mortar based on the M113 . 6 M125A1 and 46 M125A2
M106	Anti-tank mortar		United States		Caliber 107 mm tank mortar based on the M113 .
Instalaza C-90	Anti-tank hand weapon		Spain		Reactive disposable anti-tank rifle.
Instalaza C-100 Alcotán	Anti-tank hand weapon		Spain	> 500	Reactive anti-tank rifle.

artillery

model	Type	image	Design country	number	Remarks
OTO Melara M-56	howitzer		Italy		Caliber 105 mm. Have largely been replaced by L-118/119.
L118 / 119 Light Gun	howitzer		United Kingdom	56	Caliber 105 mm. In service since 1996. Of the 56 howitzers acquired, 38 were upgraded to 119 standard
Santa Bárbara Sistemas 155/52	howitzer		Spain	82	Caliber 155 mm. 66 field howitzers in version 155/52 APU-SIAC and 16 coastal howitzers in version 155/52 APU (V07).
M109A5E	Self-propelled howitzer		United States	96	Caliber 155 mm.

Anti-tank

model	Type	image	Design country	number	Remarks
MILAN 2T	Anti-tank guided missile		France / Germany	404	Of the 404 launchers, 106 are mounted on vehicles. The MILAN are gradually being replaced by Spike LR.
BGM-71 TOW 2A	Anti-tank guided missile		United States	200	In service since 1996. The Spanish Army acquired 200 launch systems. 68 of them are mounted on various vehicles.
Spike LR / ER	Anti-tank guided missile		Israel	236/44	In service since 2009. 236 launchers for the Spike LR (4,000 m range). In addition, the Spanish army also acquired 44 starting blocks for Spike ER (8,000 m range) mounted on the Eurocopter tigers the FAMET as air-to-surface missile be used. The spikes of the Spanish army are manufactured under license from Santa Bárbara Sistemas .

Air defense

model	Type	image	Design country	number	Remarks
Oerlikon 35mm GDF-007	Anti-aircraft gun		Switzerland	92	35 mm caliber. In service since 1970. 2003 to 2005 updated to version GDF-007. With Skyguard and Skydor fire control system. 12 Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannons are part of the Sistema Antiaéreo Toledo (Toledo air defense system). Consists of two Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannons and two Aspide launch devices as well as a Skydor fire control system.
mistral	Anti-aircraft missile		France	168	In service since 1988. The army has 168 MANPADS, some of which were mounted on various vehicles. In addition, the Mistral is also used as an ATAM (air-to-air Mistral) on the Eurocopter Tiger of FAMET .
MIM-23 HAWK	Anti-aircraft missile		United States	36	24 launchers were acquired in 1965, followed by 12 more from the US Army in 2001 . All HAWKs have been updated to version PIP III (Product Improvement Plan III).
Aspide	Anti-aircraft missile		Italy	13	The aspide of the Spanish Army are part of the Sistema Antiaéreo Toledo (Toledo Air Defense System). Consists of two Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannons and two Aspide launch devices as well as a Skydor fire control system.
NASAMS II	Anti-aircraft missile		Norway	8th	Spain acquired 4 batteries consisting of 8 starting devices in 2003.
MIM-104 Patriot	Anti-aircraft missile		United States	18th	18 starting devices in three batteries, from stocks of the Bundeswehr . In service since 2005.

vehicles

Tracked armored vehicles

model	Type	image	Design country	number	Remarks
Leopard 2E	Main battle tank		Germany	219	Commissioned from 2004 to 2011. Basically the same as the Leopard 2A6. Manufactured under license from Santa Bárbara Sistemas .
Leopard 2A4	Main battle tank		Germany	108	Leased in 1995 in view of the acquisition of the Leopard 2E for training and test purposes from the Bundeswehr . Acquired by the Spanish army in 1998.
Pizarro	Armored personnel carriers		Spain	227	Santa Bárbara Sistemas. First batch of 144 vehicles put into service by 2003. Second construction lot, with various modifications and improvements, from 83 vehicles closed by 2017. 206 armored personnel carriers (VCI / C) and 21 armored personnel carriers (VCPC).
M113 A2	Armored transport		United States	around 1,300	In Spain known as TOA (Transporte Oruga Acorazado). In service since 1963 in numerous versions (including: pioneer, recovery, mine clearance tanks and anti-tank mortars).
Bandvagn 206 p	Armored transport		Sweden	20th	Known as TOM (Transporte Oruga de Montaña) in Spain. In service with the Spanish Mountain Infantry Regiment since 2003. The original plan was to purchase 50 vehicles. An expansion of the stock is planned until today.

Armored and protected wheeled vehicles

model	Type	image	Design country	number	Remarks
Centauro B-1	Tank destroyers / reconnaissance vehicles		Italy	84	Commissioned from 2000 to 2001.
VEC-M1	Reconnaissance tanks		Spain	135	Santa Bárbara Sistemas, based on BMR-M1. Gun turret with M242 Bushmaster automatic cannon . A total of 340 vehicles were delivered. To be replaced by VBR 8 × 8 Dragón .
BMR	Armored transport		Spain	682	Santa Bárbara Sistemas. Commissioning from 1979 in different versions (including: pioneer, recovery, mine clearance tanks and anti-tank mortars ). To be replaced by VBR 8 × 8 Dragón .
RG-31	Protected vehicle		South Africa	150	In service since 2008. Protected multi-purpose vehicle with capacity for up to 10 people. Equipped with remote controlled weapon station of the type Samson Mini .
Iveco LMV	Protected vehicle		Italy	346	In service since 2008. Protected multi-purpose vehicle with capacity for 5 people.

Armored recovery vehicles and protected recovery vehicles

model	Type	image	Design country	number	Remarks
buffalo	Armored recovery vehicles		Germany	16
Centauro VCREC	Armored recovery vehicles		Italy	4th	In service since 2011. Armored recovery version of the Freccia
M47ER3	Armored recovery vehicles		United States	22nd	Based on the M47 Patton , converted to an armored recovery vehicle between 1993 and 1996.
MaxxPro Wrecker	Protected recovery vehicle		United States	14th	In service since 2016. From stocks of the US Army .

Pioneering device

model	Type	image	Design country	number	Remarks
M-60 CZ 10 / 25E Alacrán	Engineer tanks		United States	38	Based on M60A1 .
M-113 VCZ	Engineer tanks		United States	60	Engineer tank version of the M113 .
BMR M1 VCZ	Engineer tanks		Spain	33	Engineer tank version of the BMR.
M-60A1 AVLB	Bridge-laying armor		United States	7th
M-60 VLPD 26 / 70E	Bridge-laying armor		Germany / United States	12	Iguana armored rapid bridge on the chassis of the M60A1 .
M47 iguana	Bridge-laying armor		Germany / United States	1	Iguana armored personnel carrier on the chassis of the M47 Patton .
Mabey Compact-200	Temporary bridge		United States
Dornier folding festival bridge	Temporary bridge		Germany
PTF MAN	Temporary bridge				Pontoon bridge
JCB HMEE	Protected backhoe loader		United Kingdom	4th	In service since 2018.
Hidromek HMK102B	Backhoe loader		Turkey	22nd	In service since 2016.
JCB JS200W	Wheeled excavator		United Kingdom
Caterpillar D7R-II	Protected bulldozer		United States
Caterpillar D5K2	bulldozer		United States	18th
Champion 710A	Grader		Canada
New Holland F106.6 / 7	Grader		United States
M-548/6 SEM-1I	Mine-laying tanks		United States / Spain	18th	The M-548/6 SEM-1I was manufactured by Expal (today Maxam ) based on the M548 .
Husky VMMD 2G	Protected mine sweeper		South Africa	6th	In service since 2012.

Off-road vehicles

model	Type	image	Design country	number	Remarks
URO VAMTAC	Tactical all-terrain vehicle		Spain	around 2,900	In service in numerous versions since 1998. URO VAMTAC series I3 (1998–2003), S3 (2004–2013) and ST5 (since 2013). Some of the vehicles of the S3 and ST5 series are equipped with reinforced armor.
Santana Aníbal	Off-road vehicle		Spain	around 3,000	In service in numerous versions since 2005.
Nissan Patrol	Off-road vehicle		Japan		The Nissan Patrol 160 and 260 were the standard off-road vehicle of the Spanish army for years. Most were replaced by Santana Aníbal from 2005. Some of the newly purchased Patrol GR Y61s are now used as VIP vehicles. In addition, 12 Nissan Patrols have been extensively converted by the Spanish company VT Proyectos and now serve as Vehículo Ligero de Operaciones Especiales (VLOE, light special emergency vehicle) in the GOE .
Nissan Terrano II	Off-road vehicle		Japan
EINSA MM-1A Falcata	Light off-road vehicle		Spain	29	Parachute drop-off light off-road vehicle. In service with the Paratrooper Brigade (BRIPAC) since 2016.
Quatripole Q-150D	Light off-road vehicle		Spain	> 20	Parachute drop-off light off-road vehicle.
M548	Tracked vehicle		United States		Based on the M113 armored personnel carrier. The M548s of the Spanish Army are unarmored and are primarily used as supply vehicles.
Bandvagn 206	Tracked vehicle		Sweden	47	The Bandvagn 206 of the Spanish Army, like the armored version 206S, are in service with the mountain fighters.
Iveco- Pegaso 40.10WM	All-terrain truck		Italy
URO 115PM	Four-wheel drive truck		Spain
URO 12.13 RN	Four-wheel drive truck		Spain
URO MT-149 AT	Four-wheel drive truck		Spain
URO MAT-18.16	Four-wheel drive truck		Spain
Pegaso 3046	Four-wheel drive truck		Spain
Iveco-Pegaso 7217	Four-wheel drive truck		Spain
Iveco-Pegaso 7226	Four-wheel drive truck		Spain
Iveco M170	Four-wheel drive truck		Italy
Pegaso 3055	Four-wheel drive truck		Spain		From 1985 to 2011, 14 Pegaso 3055 were equipped with the Teruel rocket launcher .
Pegaso 7323	Four-wheel drive truck		Spain
Iveco M250	Four-wheel drive truck		Italy
Iveco M320	Four-wheel drive truck		Italy
MAN 15 t mil gl KAT I A1 (8 × 8)	Four-wheel drive truck		Germany	18th	The 18 vehicles serve as equipment carriers for the Spanish MIM-104 Patriot

motorcycles

model	Type	image	Design country	number	Remarks
BMW R 850 RT	Street motorcycle		Germany
Yamaha XT 350	Off-road motorcycle		Japan
Yamaha XT 600	Off-road motorcycle		Japan
Suzuki DR-Z 400	Off-road motorcycle		Japan

Passenger cars and vans

model	Type	image	Design country	number	Remarks
Nissan Navara	Pick up		Japan
Nissan Vanette	Vans		Japan
Mercedes-Benz MB 100	Vans		Germany
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter	Vans		Germany
Mercedes-Benz Vito	Vans		Germany

Trucks

model	Type	image	Design country	number	Remarks
Nissan-Ebro L / M Nissan Atleon	Trucks		Spain
Iveco Eurocargo	Trucks		Italy
Pegaso 2181	Trucks		Spain
Pegaso 2331	Trucks		Spain
Pegaso 7343	Trucks		Spain
Pegaso 7345	Trucks		Spain
Pegaso Troner	Trucks		Spain
Iveco-Pegaso EuroTrakker	Trucks		Italy / Spain
Iveco Trakker	Trucks		Italy
Mercedes-Benz Actros	Trucks		Germany
Kynos Aljaba K15-100	Trucks		Spain	47

Unmanned land vehicles

model	Type	image	Design country	number	Remarks
Telerob tEODor	Unmanned land vehicle		Germany	30th	EOD robots (Explosive Ordnance Disposal Robots) for bomb disposal.
iRobot PackBot 510	Unmanned land vehicle		United States		EOD robots.

Aircraft

helicopter

model	Type	image	Design country	number	Remarks
Eurocopter Tigre HAP / HAD-E	Attack helicopter		Germany / France	20 (24)	In service since 2007. Initially, 6 Tigre HAPs from French production were delivered, from 2014 the 18 Tigre HAD-E manufactured in Albacete , Spain , began to arrive. In addition to a GIAT 30 automatic cannon in the chin tower, the Spanish Tigre use unguided air-to-surface missiles of the 68 mm SNEB (HAP) and 70 mm FZ (HAD-E) types and air-to-air guided missiles of the Mistral type ATAM (HAP and HAD-E) and Spike ER air-to-surface guided missiles (HAD only).
CH-47D Chinook	Transport helicopter		United States	17th	In service since 1972. The first machines were delivered in the CH-47C version and subsequently converted to the CH-47D standard. It is planned to convert all 17 helicopters to the CH-47F version.
NH90 TTH GSPA Caimán	Transport helicopter		Europe	10 (32)	In service since 2014. The Spanish armed forces have so far ordered 45 machines, 32 of them for the Army Aviation , seven for the Armada and six for the Air Force .
AS 532 Cougar	Transport / multipurpose helicopters		France	17th	In service since 1998. 14 AS 532UL and 3 AS 532AL. The latter are operated by the Unidad Militar de Emergencias .
AS 332B1 Super Puma	Transport helicopter		France	14th	In service since 1985
FROM 212	Multipurpose helicopter		Italy / United States	5	In service since 1981
Airbus Helicopters H135 T2 +	Multipurpose / school helicopter		Germany	12	In service since 2010. 4 helicopters are operated by the Unidad Militar de Emergencias .

Unmanned aerial vehicles

model	Type	image	Design country	number	Remarks
IAI Searcher Mk.II-J / Mk.III	Unmanned aerial vehicle		Israel	4th	In service since 2007. Class II reconnaissance drone. Three Mk.II-J and one Mk.III.
INTA SIVA	Unmanned aerial vehicle		Spain	4th	In service since 2006. Class II reconnaissance drone.
AeroVironment RQ-11	Unmanned aerial vehicle		United States	72	In service since 2008. Class I reconnaissance drone

New acquisitions

model	Type	image	Design country	number	Remarks
VCZAP Castor	Engineer tanks		Spain	36	In the course of the second delivery phase of the Pizarro armored personnel carriers , the Spanish army decided to design 36 of the vehicles ordered as pioneer tanks. The tub of vehículo de combate de Zapadores (pioneer armored personnel carriers, VCZAP) Castor should, unlike the rest of the Spanish army Pizarro, on the ASCOD 2 which are based in the tender for the Future Rapid Effect System of the British Army prevailed. The Spanish VCZAP are u. a. be equipped with a remote controlled weapon station of the type Samson Mini as well as a dozer blade and cable winch. The new vehicles are expected to run from 2020.
VCR 8 × 8 Dragón	Armored vehicles		Switzerland / Spain	348	The vehículo de combate sobre ruedas (wheeled armor, VCR) 8 × 8 Dragón is a family of wheeled armor based on the chassis of the MOWAG Piranha V. The vehicles are developed and produced by a consortium of Santa Bárbara Sistemas , Indra Sistemas and SAPA Placencia . The procurement of 998 vehicles is planned in three delivery phases. According to current plans, the first phase, consisting of 348 VCR 8 × 8 Dragón, should start in 2021. In the course of 2019, the army will receive five prototypes in different configurations for test purposes. In the medium term, the VCR 8 × 8 Dragón are to replace both the aging wheeled armored vehicles of the types BMR and VEC M1, as well as the chain armored vehicles of the type M113 .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Informe de Situación Ejército de Tierra 2018. (PDF; 15.9 MB) In: www.ejercito.mde.es . January 2, 2018, Retrieved April 14, 2019 (Spanish). 

Web links

Commons : Equipment of the Spanish Army  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Official website of the Spanish Army
• Spanish Armed Forces recruitment site