Spain's ARACNE Counter-Drone System Reaches Army, Clears Jamming Tests

Spain's 71st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment received its first ARACNE counter-drone systems and completed operational evaluation of their non-destructive electronic-engagement mode, the Army announced October 8. The Indra and EM&E architecture fuses radar, radio-frequency and optical tracks through a command system offering jamming, link takeover and kinetic engagement options. A February 2025 contract worth just over €30 million covers 14 fixed and mobile systems across Spain's three services, with mobile equipment carried on VAMTAC ST5 vehicles. The delivered quantity was not disclosed, and evaluation of the hard-kill mode is scheduled for the next ATLAS exercise.