On the occasion of Fidamc's participation in FEINDEF, we talked to Sofia Delgado, Director of Aeronautical Programs, about the key role of technological innovation in defense, the new challenges of sustainability, and how the center is positioning itself in an increasingly demanding and dynamic European environment.
What defense projects is Fidamc currently involved in?
Actualmente participamos en programas estratégicos como el FCAS (Future Combat Air System), en el ámbito de baja observabilidad, y el SIRTAP, orientado a sistemas tácticos de vigilancia. Además, estamos bien posicionados para asumir carga de trabajo en el programa EURODRONE.
También colaboramos en proyectos duales, donde adaptamos tecnologías civiles para uso militar. Un ejemplo destacado es el "Cargo Hawk", un autogiro recreativo que estamos transformando en un dron autopilotado multimisión, y que hemos presentado en esta edición de FEINDEF.
The President of the European Commission has called for an increase in defense spending. What implications does this have for industry in Spain and for Fidamc?
The current geopolitical situation calls for greater investment in defense. This represents an opportunity to materialize the R&D work accumulated over the years. At Fidamc we are prepared to transform this research into tangible and useful solutions for our Armed Forces and international allies.
What opportunities does increased European defense cooperation represent for Fidamc?
European cooperation is a great opportunity to strengthen our technological capacity. The rise of the space sector and the consolidation of the Spanish Space Agency (ESA) demonstrate the thrust of this trend. We are seeing how satellite constellation projects, both public and private, require efficient, standardized and sustainable industrial solutions. Fidamc wants to play a leading role in this change, taking our technologies beyond prototypes, towards real production.
What is the role of technological innovation in Fidamc's defense projects?
Innovation is our backbone. We work on the development of solutions such as heat shields, ballistic protection and low observability technologies. In addition, we collaborate with materials manufacturers to improve their performance and processability, always seeking to reduce costs and facilitate their industrial application.
We are also exploring multifunctional materials with advanced properties such as electrical conductivity, de-icing capability or acoustic footprint reduction. And not only that: we are committed to digital technologies such as digital twins and sensorization to monitor the structural health of parts in real time, optimizing maintenance and service life.
In line with Industry 5.0, we are developing autonomous collaborative robotics solutions that integrate artificial intelligence with human expertise, allowing us greater personalization and competitiveness.
How is Fidamc responding to the changing geopolitical context?
Desde dos frentes: el tecnológico y el de seguridad. Contamos con acreditación de la Oficina Nacional de Seguridad para manejar información clasificada, lo que nos permite participar en programas de defensa de alto nivel tanto en España como en el marco de la OTAN. Además, nuestros desarrollos tecnológicos están alineados con las prioridades de la DGAM, la EDA y otros organismos internacionales.
What role does sustainability play at Fidamc?
Sustainability is in our DNA. Our composite manufacturing processes optimize structural mass layer by layer, and advanced automation minimizes material waste.
We apply sustainable criteria in all dimensions:
- Social: we promote work-life balance and continuous training of a highly qualified team.
- Economic: we develop more efficient tooling, low-cost materials and shorter processes.
- Environmental: we promote recycling technologies for both structural and auxiliary materials. Our contribution to AEMAC's Sustainability White Paper, with two full chapters, reflects this commitment.
In addition, we investigate technologies related to hydrogen, process energy efficiency and heat recovery, without losing sight of the goal of reducing structural weight and integrating complex components to simplify assembly.
How does Fidamc attract and retain talent in such a specialized sector?
We offer a unique environment where innovation and technological development are constant. Each employee has a personalized career plan and access to high-level projects that allow them to grow professionally and technically. Working at Fidamc means being at the forefront of technology in direct contact with the industry and the real challenges of the sector.
How important are public-private partnerships for Fidamc?
They are fundamental. We participate in programs such as COINCIDENTE with the Ministry of Defense and in European projects through the EDF (European Defence Fund). Some examples are the GÓNDOLA project, focused on low observability materials, or ADMIRABLE, focused on light naval structures. These collaborations allow us to expand networks, share knowledge and bring our technologies to the market.
What are the future prospects for Fidamc in defense?
We want to be an active part of the "new space" revolution, developing technologies applicable to satellites, constellations and accessible launchers. We are also focused on manufacturing processes of large aeronautical components, seeking to lighten weight, improve cadences and control costs.
Another of our objectives is to lead the development of UAVs and VTOLs with standardized processes for prototypes and short series. And, of course, to offer quick solutions for aircraft spare parts, responding with agility to the needs of the sector.
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