• Through vehicle replication and an emulation operating environment, the research lab paves the way for the development and evolution of these systems, as well as their training, maintenance and testing.
  • It will ensure the Maestre mission system of the Spanish 8×8 and VACs remains at the forefront of technology throughout its life cycle, key aspect for the digitalization of the Spanish Army.
  • Indra has taken on a key role in European R&D programs developing next-generation armored vehicles, which incorporate cutting-edge digital technologies.

Madrid, July 29th, 2024.-Indra has developed the Maestre mission system to be integrated into the Spanish  Army’s 8×8 Dragon armored wheeled vehicles and tracked support vehicles (VACs). The company, a  European leader in the development of these systems, is now launching an advanced laboratory that replicates  the vehicle and an emulation operating environment to work on the mission systems that will be used by these  state-of-the-art armored vehicles. 

The new laboratory will facilitate not only the development and evolution of the software of these systems, but  also training, 4.0 maintenance and tests to study how the vehicle behaves in different configurations, as well  as incorporating new sensors and the analysis of their interoperability with other systems. It has working  positions that allow to manage the mission system as the driver, vehicle commander, gunner and embarked  platoon would do. These positions have been designed so they can also be installed in transportable  containers or shelters, so that they can be deployed in the units determined by the Army. 

The company has already shown these facilities to Spanish Army authorities, including the visit of Lieutenant  General Fernando Miguel García y García de las Hijas, Chief of the Army’s Logistics Support Command,  together with other Army officers and other officials from the DGAM’s program sub-directorate. 

The investment made by Indra in this laboratory will allow for the 8×8 Dragon and VAC Maestre system to be  constantly updated throughout its life cycle. It also provides a system and operating familiarization environment  prior to training on the simulators and the vehicles themselves. 

The head of Ground Mission Systems at Indra, Vigara Zaera, says that “with this laboratory and the work we  have conducted in recent years with the Ministry of Defense, we are globally at the forefront in the digitization  of military vehicles”.  

Maestre, a system tailor-made for the Spanish Army 

Indra’s Maestre system controls the weapons, warning, self-protection, situational awareness,  communications and navigation systems, as well as the battlefield management system (BMS) and, broadly  speaking, all subsystems carried by the 8×8 and the tracked support vehicle (CSV). It is the brain that  processes all the information collected and presents it in an integrated picture to the crew so that they can  make decisions quickly and react to any situation. It is the key element for vehicle safety, survivability, fire  effectiveness and collaborative combat capability.  

The Spanish Army, with the collaboration of Indra, has defined and developed Maestre to cover the needs of  the General Staff in the VCR 8X8 Dragon and the Tracked Support Vehicle (VAC), keeping Spain at the  forefront. The participation of the Spanish Army in its development has been key to differentiate it and to ensure  that Maestre is 100% designed by and for the operational needs of the Spanish Army.  

The 8×8 mission system is one of the key pieces for the digitalization of the Army, which will facilitate the  incorporation of ground platforms in the future Digital Combat Brigade and its integration in the combat cloud  scenarios and the future Spanish Army Logistics Base (BLET).

Indra is not only implementing this technology in the new generation of Spanish armored vehicles, but has also  taken on a key role in European R&D projects such as Famous I and II, Commands and MARTE, which are  working on the next generation of such systems. 

The company has named its mission system Maestre in honor of the soldiers who were part of the Spanish  Tercios de Dragones of the late 17th century, who would eventually go on to become today’s mechanized  Cavalry and Infantry units that are using the 8×8 and tracked support vehicles. These Tercios were  commanded by the Maestre de Campo.