Mentioned:IndraEM&E
Indra and EM&E demonstrated the ARACNE counter-drone system operating within Spain's air defence network during ATLAS 26 exercises in Huelva. The system connected mobile radars, jammers, electro-optical sensors and remote weapon stations through unified command architecture to coordinate responses against unmanned threats.
What's happening
- ARACNE linked to the Spanish Aerospace Operational Command's air defence system through Indra's COAAAS+ Anti-Aircraft Artillery Operations Centre during exercises from 19 to 23 October.
- The system connected NEMUS mobile radars, Brontes electronic countermeasures, EM&E's OTEOS electro-optical sensors and GUARDIAN remote weapon stations into a single command architecture.
- Integration provided a common operational picture for threat detection, identification, classification and prioritisation across military and law enforcement units.
Why it matters
- Unified command shortened decision cycles and reduced duplication between defensive systems, improving resource allocation against drone swarms and saturation attacks.
- Mobile NEMUS radars extend air defence coverage to convoys, logistics units, command posts and combat formations without relying on fixed installations.
- Integrated architecture enables Spanish forces to coordinate engagements and select responses suited to each threat while maintaining target tracking across multiple platforms.
Going deeper
- ARACNE entered service with the Spanish Armed Forces within two years of development, according to the companies.
- The system supports both Class I and II unmanned aircraft threats and factors rules of engagement into targeting decisions.
The intrigue
- Success integrating ARACNE into existing Spanish air defence infrastructure suggests a model for allied forces seeking to retrofit counter-drone capabilities into legacy command-and-control systems.
Source: defence-industry.eu · Oct 24, 2026 · Drafted with Claude, reviewed by Industrial Base Alpha.
