Ambassador Aparici emphasized that projects like the Andalusia Defence Hub are highly relevant given the increase in defence spending by Spain and its allies, and the growing industrial collaboration between Spain and the United Kingdom. The Ambassador stated "we are at a particularly important moment for strengthening economic and industrial relations between Spain and the United Kingdom, and sectors such as defence and aeronautics offer enormous potential."
The President of FEDEME, Carlos Jacinto Martín, reviewed the origins and objectives of the Hub, created by the private sector and predominantly comprised of SMEs. Likewise, experts from GDELS-Santa Bárbara Sistemas, MBDA Spain, and Rolls-Royce called for a commitment to stable frameworks for collaboration between Spain and the United Kingdom, highlighting the importance of the Hub as a catalyst for new strategic alliances.
The Andalusia Defence Hub is an initiative promoted by the Andalusian Federation of Metal Business Owners (FEDEME), in collaboration with the Federation of Metal Companies of Cádiz (FEMCA). It is conceived as an integrating platform to foster cooperation among stakeholders in the defence and security sectors in Andalusia. The objective is to develop an ecosystem for the defence industry in Andalusia, leveraging its industrial tradition, aerospace capabilities, R&D centres, excellent universities, and skilled workforce.