Spain Picks Airbus A321 For New Electronic Intelligence Aircraft

Published Oct 5, 2026 5:03 PM EDT

Spain is moving ahead with plans to rebuild its airborne signals intelligence (SIGINT) capability, with the Airbus A321 — part of the highly successful A320 twin-engine airliner family — selected as the basis for three new SIGINT aircraft.

The choice is disclosed in the latest issue of Spain’s Revista de Aeronáutica y Astronáutica , the Ministry of Defense’s official publication. Airbus and Indra are currently working on the program’s conceptual design under the Santiago II initiative, which aims to deliver a crewed platform capable of collecting and processing intelligence across the electromagnetic spectrum.

The program is intended to restore a capability Spain lost when its last Boeing 707 SIGINT aircraft was retired in 2014. Equipped with Israeli SIGINT equipment, this 707 was designated TM.17-4 in Spanish service, and nicknamed Reina del Espectro (Queen of the Spectrum).

También del #47Grupo el #Boeing 707-351C (TM.17-4 / 47-04) "BRUJO". #BASanJavier @EjercitoAire @SpottersMurcia pic.twitter.com/RB3Dcpn7Qp — Salvador Marín (@05derecha) April 17, 2020

También del #47Grupo el #Boeing 707-351C (TM.17-4 / 47-04) "BRUJO". #BASanJavier @EjercitoAire @SpottersMurcia pic.twitter.com/RB3Dcpn7Qp

It served in the 47th Mixed Air Force Group, alongside four Dassault Falcon 20s (designated TM.11 in Spain), that were used for navigation aid calibration, remote sensing, and electronic warfare training.

A Spanish Air Force Falcon 20 EW. Roberto Yáñez/Spanish Air and Space Force COPYRIGHT ROBERTO YANEZ

The new aircraft will have to undergo extensive modification, including the installation of antennas, receivers, signal-processing equipment, operator consoles, communications systems and associated electrical and cooling infrastructure.

Indra is expected to provide much of the mission-system architecture. The company’s AirSign concept, unveiled in 2023, incorporated COMINT and ELINT sensors alongside data fusion, real-time signal analysis, communications, and command-and-control functions.

An earlier Airbus concept for a multi-mission A320neo family, including an AEW&C version with conformal radar arrays, a SIGINT platform, and a VIP jet. Airbus

While COMINT is concerned primarily with collecting intelligence from communications, ELINT focuses on non-communications electromagnetic emissions, including radar signals. Together, these capabilities provide a much fuller intelligence picture of not only what the enemy is doing in terms of their electronic emissions, but what they are planning, and their processes of operation.

Bizjets have become the platform of choice for many new intelligence aircraft , particularly where operators want a relatively low-cost, long-endurance platform with a smaller logistical footprint. Aircraft such as the Bombardier Global 6000/6500 , Gulfstream G550 , and Dassault Falcon 8X have been adapted for electronic intelligence and special-mission roles.

An Israeli Air Force Nachshon Oron multi-mission intelligence-gathering aircraft, based on a Gulfstream G550 airframe. Israeli Air Force

Spain’s decision to use the substantially larger A321 points instead toward the other end of the spectrum, providing significantly more room for antennas, processing hardware and crew, and allowing the aircraft to carry a much larger and more power-hungry mission system than the typical bizjet-based SIGINT platform.

At one time, the A321 was envisaged as the platform for NATO’s Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) system, which provides the alliance with reconnaissance capabilities, including synthetic aperture radar. However, this capability was eventually fielded on NATO’s fleet of five RQ-4D Phoenix uncrewed aerial vehicles, specialized versions of the Global Hawk.

Early concept artwork showing an A321 equipped with NATO’s Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) system. NATO

Elsewhere in Europe, Airbus launched a risk-assessment study for France’s future maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), also to be based on an A321 platform . Billed as a “flying frigate” by the company, the new MPA is intended to replace the French Navy’s Dassault Atlantique 2 fleet and emerges at a time when NATO nations are increasingly adopting the in-production Boeing P-8 Poseidon for their maritime patrol requirements.

A rendering of the A321 MPA, France’s future maritime patrol aircraft. Airbus

Airbus does, however, have relevant experience in the conversion of airliners for military roles. The company’s A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft are modified at Airbus’s Getafe facility , providing an existing industrial base for converting commercial-derived aircraft into specialized military platforms.

The A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) conversion line at Airbus’s Getafe facility in Spain. Airbus

The Santiago II program is currently in its definition phase. Spain awarded Airbus and Indra a €16-million ($17.9-million), 18-month contract to study the platform and define the overall system. A subsequent phase will cover modification and integration of the three aircraft. The Spanish Ministry of Defense estimates the complete program at approximately €436 million ($489 million).

The program also has an industrial objective. Spanish authorities want domestic industry to acquire expertise and control over the integration of the SIGINT system, rather than simply purchasing a finished foreign intelligence aircraft.

The A321-based Santiago II fleet is intended to address the shortfall left by the retirement of the specially modified Boeing 707, providing a substantially more modern platform, and with more airframes for improved availability.

The three new aircraft will also complement Spain’s emerging uncrewed SIGINT capability. The Spanish Air and Space Force is introducing the L3Harris Scalable Open Architecture Reconnaissance (SOAR) system on its Predator B drones, giving the fleet ELINT and COMINT collection capabilities. The two systems are likely to fill different niches: the Predator B offers a relatively persistent, lower-cost uncrewed collection option, while the much larger A321 will provide substantially greater payload capacity, onboard processing, and crewed mission-management capabilities. Together, they will give Spain a layered airborne SIGINT architecture.

A Spanish Air and Space Force Predator B. Luis Alfonso Hernández Carrón/Spanish Air and Space Force A.Trigo

Spain’s decision also reflects a broader drive to invest in long-range SIGINT platforms capable of collecting, processing, and fusing vast amounts of electromagnetic data, as competition over the electromagnetic spectrum becomes increasingly central to modern warfare .

If the program remains on schedule, three heavily modified A321s will eventually provide Spain with a persistent airborne capability to detect, classify, locate, and analyze electromagnetic emitters in support of a host of operations. Especially when paired with the Predator B, the capability will likely be of considerable interest to other NATO partners in Europe, too.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

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发布于美国东部时间2026年10月5日下午5:03

西班牙正在推进重建其空中信号情报（SIGINT）能力的计划，并选择了空客A321（非常成功的A320双引擎客机系列的一部分）作为三架新型SIGINT飞机的基础。

西班牙国防部官方刊物《航空与航天杂志》（Revista de Aeronáutica y Astronáutica）最新一期公布了这一选择。空客和英德拉公司目前正在“圣地亚哥二号”（Santiago II）计划下开展该项目的概念设计，该计划旨在打造一款能够收集和处理整个电磁频谱情报的载人平台。

该计划旨在恢复西班牙在 2014 年最后一架波音 707 信号情报飞机退役后失去的能力。这架 707 配备了以色列信号情报设备，在西班牙服役时被命名为 TM.17-4，并被昵称为“光谱女王”。

#47Grupo el #Boeing 707-351C (TM.17-4 / 47-04)“BRUJO”。 #BASanJavier @EjercitoAire @SpottersMurcia pic.twitter.com/RB3Dcpn7Qp — 萨尔瓦多·马林 (@05derecha) 2020 年 4 月 17 日

#47Grupo el #Boeing 707-351C (TM.17-4 / 47-04)“BRUJO”。 #BASanJavier @EjercitoAire @SpottersMurcia pic.twitter.com/RB3Dcpn7Qp

它隶属于第 47 混合空军大队，与四架达索猎鹰 20（在西班牙被命名为 TM.11）一起用于导航辅助设备校准、遥感和电子战训练。

西班牙空军的猎鹰20 EW型飞机。罗伯托·亚涅斯/西班牙空军和航天部队 版权所有：罗伯托·亚涅斯

新飞机将需要进行广泛的改装，包括安装天线、接收器、信号处理设备、操作员控制台、通信系统以及相关的电气和冷却基础设施。

预计Indra将提供大部分任务系统架构。该公司于2023年发布的AirSign概念系统，整合了通信情报（COMINT）和电子情报（ELINT）传感器，以及数据融合、实时信号分析、通信和指挥控制功能。

空客早期曾提出过一款多用途A320neo系列飞机的概念​​，其中包括配备共形雷达阵列的预警机版本、信号情报平台和VIP专机。

通信情报（COMINT）主要关注从通信中收集情报，而电子情报（ELINT）则侧重于非通信电磁辐射，包括雷达信号。两者结合，能够更全面地了解敌方的电子辐射活动，以及他们的计划和行动流程。

公务机已成为许多新型情报飞机的首选平台，尤其是在运营商需要成本相对较低、续航时间长且后勤保障需求较小的平台时。庞巴迪环球6000/6500、湾流G550和达索猎鹰8X等飞机已被改装用于电子情报和特种任务。

以色列空军的“纳赫雄·奥龙”（Nachshon Oron）多用途情报收集飞机，基于湾流G550机身。以色列空军

西班牙决定使用体积更大的 A321，这标志着他们走向了另一个极端，为天线、处理硬件和机组人员提供了更大的空间，使飞机能够携带比典型的公务机信号情报平台更大、更耗电的任务系统。

A321曾一度被设想为北约联盟地面监视系统（AGS）的平台，该系统为北约提供包括合成孔径雷达在内的侦察能力。然而，最终这项能力部署在了北约的五架RQ-4D“不死鸟”无人机上，这些无人机是“全球鹰”无人机的特制版本。

早期概念图，展示了一架配备北约联盟地面监视（AGS）系统的A321飞机。北约

在欧洲其他地区，空客公司启动了一项针对法国未来海上巡逻机（MPA）的风险评估研究，该机型也将基于A321平台。空客将这款新型MPA称为“飞行护卫舰”，旨​​在取代法国海军的达索大西洋2型飞机。与此同时，北约国家正越来越多地采用正在生产的波音P-8“海神”反潜巡逻机来满足其海上巡逻需求。

这是法国未来海上巡逻机A321 MPA的效果图。空客公司

然而，空客在将客机改装为军用飞机方面确实拥有相关经验。该公司生产的A330多用途加油运输机（MRTT）在空客位于赫塔菲的工厂进行改装，这为将商用飞机改装成专用军用平台提供了现有的工业基础。

位于西班牙赫塔菲的空客工厂内的A330多用途加油运输机（MRTT）改装生产线。

圣地亚哥二号项目目前正处于定义阶段。西班牙已授予空客和英德拉公司一份价值1600万欧元（约合1790万美元）、为期18个月的合同，用于研究该平台并确定整体系统。后续阶段将涵盖三架飞机的改装和集成。西班牙国防部估计整个项目的总成本约为4.36亿欧元（约合4.89亿美元）。

该项目还具有产业目标。西班牙当局希望国内企业能够掌握信号情报系统集成方面的专业知识和控制权，而不是简单地购买成品外国情报飞机。

以 A321 为基础的圣地亚哥二号机队旨在弥补经过特殊改装的波音 707 退役后留下的缺口，提供一个更加现代化的平台，并拥有更多的机身以提高可用性。

这三架新飞机还将完善西班牙正在发展中的无人信号情报能力。西班牙空军和航天部队正在其“捕食者B”无人机上引入L3Harris可扩展开放式架构侦察（SOAR）系统，使其机队具备电子情报（ELINT）和通信情报（COMINT）收集能力。这两个系统可能各有侧重：“捕食者B”提供了一种相对持久且成本较低的无人收集方案，而尺寸更大的A321则将提供更大的有效载荷能力、机载处理能力和机组任务管理能力。它们将共同为西班牙构建一个多层次的机载信号情报架构。

西班牙空军和太空部队的捕食者B型无人机。路易斯·阿方索·埃尔南德斯·卡隆/西班牙空军和太空部队 A.Trigo

西班牙的决定也反映出，随着电磁频谱的竞争在现代战争中变得越来越重要，西班牙正在加大对远程信号情报平台的投资，这些平台能够收集、处理和融合大量的电磁数据。

如果该项目按计划进行，三架经过大幅改装的A321飞机最终将为西班牙提供持续的空中能力，用于探测、分类、定位和分析电磁辐射源，以支持一系列行动。特别是与“捕食者B”无人机配合使用时，这种能力很可能也会引起其他北约欧洲伙伴的极大兴趣。

联系作者：thomas@thewarzone.com

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