“Spain ranks 5th in Europe in volume of sales and number of people employed”
The aerospace and defense industry is highly developed in Spain. In 2022 the Spanish market saw 12.34 billion euros in turnover and over 51,000 direct people employed.
The industry is characterized by its growth over the last decade (24% since 2012) and significant investment in R&D, which accounts for 10% of the industry’s sales.
The aerospace and defense industry is a strategic sector for the Spanish economy, since:
- It creates high-quality employment.
- Accounts for almost 1.3% of total Spanish GDP and 9.3% of the Spanish Industrial Production Index.
- It is key for the foreign sector. In 2022, 49% of sales in the aeronautics sector and 75% in the space sector were from exports.
- It is geared to RDI (the results of research in this sector are also often used in other industries).
The Spanish aeronautics industry is a world leader in many fields, including composite materials for aircraft structures, low-pressure turbines, air traffic management systems and military transport aircraft.