When Russian electronic warfare systems jam GPS signals, what technology allows a fighter jet to land without seeing the runway? NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) found its answer for the Spanish Air & Space Force in Thales’ D-TACAN system: guaranteed, uninterrupted landing and navigation even in environments where GNSS is fully jammed or denied.
Under the contract signed between NSPA and Thales, the system — integrated into a 20-foot ISO container and transportable by air, sea, rail and road — will provide continuous 24/7 approach, landing and navigation safety at both temporary and permanent bases.
Thales D-TACAN’s Strategic Manufacturing and Local Integration
The system will be manufactured in Gorgonzola, Italy — Europe’s only TACAN production site — and integrated by Thales Spain as part of the country’s defence logistics chain. This partnership reduces Spain’s reliance on foreign suppliers for military aviation infrastructure while reinforcing the continent’s technological sovereignty. Built on Thales’ latest-generation Ground Based TACAN 553 architecture, the solution is designed for rapid deployment even in demanding field conditions thanks to its uninterruptible power supply and generator infrastructure, and comes with a comprehensive lifecycle support package covering spare parts, training, product information and electronic documentation.
D-TACAN and Collective Defence Under the NATO Framework
Through NSPA’s procurement mechanism, other allied nations with similar tactical requirements will also be able to add the same D-TACAN solution to their inventories directly boosting operational interoperability and collective deterrence across NATO airspace.
NSPA’s Communications, Air and Missile Defence Programme Manager, Juan Tarazona, “Through this contract, NSPA is enabling the Spanish Air & Space Force to rapidly acquire a critical air navigation capability while benefiting from the Agency’s proven procurement and technical expertise.”
Thales in Italy remains the only manufacturer in the world producing both ground-based TACAN beacons and the airborne TACAN interrogators used in D-TACAN-class systems.
Thales’ Vice-President Iberia & Türkiye and CEO Spain, Jésus Sanchez-Bargos, said: “This contract demonstrates Thales’ ability to deliver sovereign, cyber-resilient and mission-ready navigation solutions that strengthen Europe’s defence capabilities. Building on decades of expertise in TACAN technology, our team in Spain is proud to support the Spanish Air & Space Force and NATO allies locally with a deployable system designed to operate wherever missions require. In particular, our team will provide local engineering expertise, maintenance and training services, ensuring the system remains fully operational throughout its lifecycle and delivering the close, long-term support essential to the Spanish Air & Space Force’s operational readiness.”
🔍 You may also like
Source: C4Defence– Thales
