Cadiz, Spain. Spain’s First Vice-President of the Government and Minister of Treasury, María Jesús Montero inaugurated the new headquarters that will host Navantia COEX Naval Systems in San Fernando (Cádiz, Spain), one of six centres of excellence that, under the Navantia COEX Network brand, embody the innovation strategy of the Spanish state-owned shipbuilder.
“These are cutting-edge facilities, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, which will allow us to integrate and export all the knowledge, experience and immense talent generated here, in collaboration with universities and business sector,” said the Deputy Prime Minister. She described the centre as a “nerve centre” for the development of national and European defence programmes. “This will enable us to strengthen our strategic autonomy and enhance our security as a nation and as part of the European project in the face of global geopolitical risks,” she added.
The COEX Naval Systems centre represents an investment of €21 million and reinforces Navantia’s leadership in innovation, development and integration of technological solutions in the naval domain, enhancing the operational capability, reliability, effectiveness and efficiency of vessels in critical and asymmetric environments.
“Today marks a truly emotional milestone for Navantia. The vision we conceived years ago, focused on the creation of Centres of Excellence, has now become a tangible and transformative reality. These centres are a firm commitment to accelerating innovation, fostering specialisation and creating value. The COEX centres will not only boost internal knowledge and technological development, but also act as a genuine driver of industrial revitalisation,” said Gonzalo Mateo-Guerrero, Navantia’s Chief Operating Officer.
The inauguration was also attended by the chairwoman of the Spanish state-owned industrial holding company SEPI, Belén Gualda; the commander of the Cádiz Naval Base, Vice Admiral Rubén Rodríguez Peña; and Rear Admiral Fernando Poole Quintana.
Digital transformation for future defence
Located in a 6,500-square-metre building at Navantia San Fernando, the COEX Naval Systems centre brings together innovation teams, engineers, software developers, strategic partners and clients – notably the Spanish Navy – working side by side to accelerate knowledge transfer and turn innovation into real capabilities.
The facility features state-of-the-art laboratories and tools, and houses the Land-Based Test Sites (LBTS) for the Spanish Navy’s main programmes, including the F110 frigates and S80 submarines. It also serves as the hub for strategic projects such as the Naval Combat Cloud, unmanned vehicles, artificial intelligence applied to defence, and cybersecurity for critical systems. European programmes such as E-NACSOS, NEREUS and the European Patrol Corvette (EPC) are also partially developed here.
Six centres, one network
Navantia COEX Naval Systems is part of the Navantia COEX Network – a collaborative structure of six centres driving and delivering Navantia’s innovation strategy in areas such as naval systems, future ship design, digital twins, advanced manufacturing, smart services and green energies.
The network is involved in dozens of R&D&I projects and comprises over 250 professionals and 75 external collaborators working closely with the Navy, universities, tech companies and research centres to validate advanced solutions. It generates synergies that accelerate research and plays a key role in attracting and developing specialised talent.
The Navantia COEX Network is part of a broader strategy to modernise all Navantia production centres, including investments in infrastructure, digitalisation and sustainability to achieve the so-called Shipyard 5.0. This strategy aims to boost competitiveness by reducing costs and production times through next-generation technologies, such as those integrated into the new Flat Open Units Workshop (TUAP), the Flat Panel Line (both in the Bay of Cádiz), and the Digital Block Factory in Ferrol (A Coruña).
