The Chilean ambassador to Spain, Javier Velascohighlighted in an economic forum in Madrid the opportunities that that European country represents for the Chilean defense sector, and emphasized the search for new weapons suppliers by the South American country as a result of the political differences between Chile and Israel over the conflict in Gaza.
In this context, the ambassador invited Spanish technology and defense companies to look at the Chilean market, explaining that the situation of withdrawing the invitation to participate in Fidae 2024 It provides Israel with options to do business with other global suppliers in the Defense sector.
According to the newspaper El País (Madrid)the diplomat made that statement in the talk ‘Chile’s platform for Spain, in the Pacific area and the Defense and Aerospace environment. Chile, as a trusted brand, in the defense environment’ from the forum ‘Brand management in complex geopolitical and economic environments’ made by MSH Global in it Circle of Fine Arts from Madrid.
The ambassador’s statements have not been well received in Chile, since it is not appropriate for a diplomat to comment on military acquisition policies. These types of matters correspond to the Ministry of Defense.
Military relations between Chile and Israel, which date back to the mid-1970s, are at one of their lowest points in bilateral history after the Asian country’s marginalization in the last International Air and Space Fair (Fidae) for his actions in Gaza and the subsequent transfer of the Israeli Defense and Armed Forces attaché in Santiago to another South American nation.
New partners
The diplomatic representative of Chile stated that corporate responsibility in the geopolitical context is not something that companies can ignore in situations such as the health crisis, the war in Ukraine or the war conflict in the Gaza Strip.
“We live in a delicate global situation, we are in the process of so-called selective deglobalization, and it is increasingly important to quantify the reputational drive of people in the market,” said Velasco.
In this framework, the ambassador pointed out that Israeli industry is an important destination for Chilean military spending. “It has been very hard for us to have to ask a country to refrain from attending a fair where so many relationships are woven,” and that opens the possibility for Spain to be a partner in defense matters.
“It is also an opportunity for other partners: it was in that instance that ELS Industries, ITP and Indra “They sat down to think about what a future could be like where the Israeli sector could share space with other partners,” Velasco stressed.
The diplomat highlighted bilateral relations and the recent trade agreement with the European Union. “Chile is going to be, and already is, a future leader in terms of raw material exports, particularly because we have unique conditions regarding materials such as lithium or zinc,” he noted. “We have become a soft-landing place [aterrizaje suave] for investment.”
A growing position
The Spanish defense industry is not unknown in Chile. Airbus Defense and Space It is a benchmark with its transport aircraft C-212 and CN-235 in it Army and Air Forceand the aero-maritime exploration and anti-submarine combat aircraft C295 Persuader in the Chilean Navy which is equipped with the Sonobuoy Acoustic Processing System (SPAS) of SAES.
In recent years, Indra has sold air traffic control radars and maintenance services associated with the General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC) and Navantia owns 50% of the company’s property Social, which has a floating dock in Valparaíso. The rest of the participation is Shipyards and Shipyards of the Navy (Asmar) From Chile
In the naval sector, Ibercisa Deck Machinery received a contract in 2018 for the production of the icebreaker deck machinery AGB-46 Admiral Viel. In addition, Alconza supplied two 5,040 kVA synchronous generators, two 2,030 kVA synchronous generators, two 4,500 kW horizontal asynchronous propulsion motors and one 2,000 kW asynchronous vertical motor.
Fernandez Jove In March 2023, it received a contract from Asmar to supply the valve control system for the two multipurpose vessels being built by Asmar in Talcahuano. In turn, the Chilean shipyard signed a contract with the Galician company in October last year. Gabadi for the accommodation package of those two units.
For its part, Army Factories and Workshops (Famae) from Chile and SDLE of Spain signed a three-year collaboration agreement in March 2023 that includes the supply of spare parts, repair of powertrains and training in platform maintenance Leopard 2A4, Marder 1A3 and M109.
