MADRID, — June 17, 2026 : Spanish technology company Indra Group has signed a strategic agreement with German defense contractor Rheinmetall to integrate the NEMUS Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar into the modular architecture of Rheinmetall’s StrikeShield Active Protection System (APS). The collaboration is aimed at improving the survivability of armored vehicles and main battle tanks against a growing range of modern battlefield threats.
The agreement marks a significant step in the ongoing cooperation between the two defense companies and is expected to strengthen European armored vehicle protection capabilities through the integration of advanced radar and active protection technologies.
NEMUS Radar Designed for Multi-Threat Detection
Indra’s NEMUS (New Generation Multi-Mission Sensor) radar is a fully digital AESA system designed to detect, identify, and track a wide spectrum of threats using a single hardware architecture. The radar can detect extremely slow-moving targets, including drones traveling at speeds as low as 10 meters per second, while also tracking high-speed threats exceeding 2,000 meters per second, such as kinetic-energy projectiles and anti-tank munitions.
The radar's ability to handle both low-speed and high-speed threats enables it to support multiple operational roles, including Active Protection Systems (APS), Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS), Short-Range Air Defense (SHORAD), and Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions.
Designed for installation on mechanized platforms, NEMUS features a compact and lightweight architecture. When multiple antenna units are mounted around a vehicle turret, the system provides full 360-degree coverage, allowing continuous monitoring of surrounding airspace and ground threats.
According to Indra, each radar element can simultaneously track more than 20 targets, enabling the system to address increasingly complex battlefield environments, including drone swarms and coordinated missile attacks.
Anti-Jamming and All-Weather Performance
The NEMUS radar incorporates advanced electronic protection measures to operate effectively in contested electromagnetic environments. The system is equipped with anti-jamming capabilities and can distinguish genuine threats from false targets generated through electronic warfare techniques.
The radar is also designed to maintain performance under harsh environmental conditions, including extreme heat, heavy rainfall, and freezing temperatures. These features allow the system to support military operations across diverse climates and operational theaters.
Integration with Rheinmetall’s StrikeShield APS
Under the agreement, the NEMUS radar will provide precise detection and tracking information to Rheinmetall’s StrikeShield Active Protection System. Once a threat is identified, StrikeShield processes the data, performs fire-control calculations, selects the most appropriate countermeasure, and automatically neutralizes the threat before it reaches the vehicle.
StrikeShield operates on a hard-kill protection principle, designed to defeat incoming threats such as anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and other anti-armor weapons milliseconds before impact.
The system combines active protection technologies with modular passive armor in a hybrid architecture. Its scalable design allows integration on a wide range of platforms, from lighter armored vehicles to heavy main battle tanks.
Rheinmetall states that StrikeShield’s distributed architecture minimizes its electronic warfare signature, reducing the likelihood of detection while also limiting collateral damage to nearby infantry and civilian infrastructure. This makes the system suitable for both conventional battlefield operations and urban combat environments.
Successful Testing on Leopard Tanks
The integration agreement follows several years of joint development activities and validation programs conducted by Indra and Rheinmetall. These efforts included multiple live-fire trials intended to mature the technology and verify operational performance.
A key milestone was achieved in May 2025, when Indra successfully tested the NEMUS radar on Leopard battle tanks at the Spanish Army’s Armored Units Instruction Center in Zaragoza. The tests demonstrated the radar’s ability to detect and track drones, micro-drones, anti-tank missiles, grenade-launcher projectiles, and supersonic threats.
The successful trials confirmed the radar’s suitability for integration into active protection systems and future armored vehicle modernization programs.
Support for European Armored Vehicle Programs
The agreement further strengthens Indra’s position as a supplier of advanced radar technologies for active protection systems and opens opportunities for the NEMUS radar family to be incorporated into major European defense initiatives.
The technology is being considered for future armored vehicle modernization efforts, including the FAMOUS, MARTE, and AURIGA programs. Indra is also participating in the European Defence Agency’s DARTBRAKER project, which focuses on developing active protection technologies for next-generation military platforms.
The growing demand for layered vehicle protection systems across Europe has increased interest in technologies capable of countering emerging threats such as loitering munitions, drone swarms, precision-guided missiles, and advanced anti-tank weapons.
Expanding Strategic Cooperation
The radar integration agreement is part of a broader strategic partnership between Indra and Rheinmetall. In March 2026, the companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand cooperation across European and Latin American defense markets.
The partnership extends beyond vehicle protection systems and includes discussions involving German commercial vehicle manufacturer MAN regarding modernization programs for Spanish military artillery support vehicles and bridge-laying trucks. The potential project has been valued at approximately €3 billion.
The finalization of the NEMUS-StrikeShield agreement also coincided with the first official day of Josep Maria Recasens as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Indra Group.
Strengthening Vehicle Survivability
The integration of NEMUS into StrikeShield reflects a wider trend within the defense industry toward combining advanced sensors, active protection systems, and intelligent threat-processing capabilities to improve vehicle survivability.
By combining Indra’s radar expertise with Rheinmetall’s experience in protection systems and platform integration, the two companies aim to provide armored forces with enhanced protection against current and future battlefield threats while supporting the modernization of military vehicle fleets across Europe and beyond.
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