Spain’s Ministry of Defence is preparing to open a new chapter in its land-based fire support capabilities following the cancellation of a €697 million rocket system contract signed in 2023 with Israel’s Elbit Systems. In the wake of this decision, which was influenced by political considerations linked to the Gaza conflict, Madrid is now prioritizing domestic industrial capacity and strategic autonomy in the framework of the SILAM (Sistema Lanzacohetes de Alta Movilidad) program.

Under this initiative, Germany-based Rheinmetall’s Spanish subsidiary Rheinmetall Expal Munitions has teamed up with Spanish defense company EM&E Group to submit a joint proposal aimed at developing a fully indigenous high-mobility multiple rocket launcher system. Unlike the previous solution based on Elbit’s PULS (Precise and Universal Launching System), the new offer places strong emphasis on national design, development, and production capabilities.

The proposal covers the delivery of operational and test launchers, associated munitions, reconnaissance and command-and-control vehicles, as well as the development and qualification of training rockets and guided munitions. According to Rheinmetall, this phased approach will allow the system to gradually reach full technological maturity while ensuring compliance with operational requirements and long-term sustainability throughout its life cycle.

The SILAM program was originally launched to address the capability gap left after the retirement of the Teruel multiple launch rocket system from Spanish Army service in 2011. Beyond restoring this lost capability, the program is aligned with Spain’s Industry and Technology Plan, aiming to strengthen the national defense industrial base, reinforce domestic supply chains, foster technological innovation, and contribute to European Union and NATO defense objectives.

Rheinmetall also underlined that the program will help Spain acquire critical know-how in the design, development, and production of guided rockets. This is expected to ensure national sovereignty over the entire life cycle of the system, enhancing resilience and reinforcing strategic autonomy—key pillars of modern defense planning.

Although specific technical details of the future system have not yet been disclosed, it is anticipated that the design will benefit from Rheinmetall’s experience in the GMARS (Global Mobile Artillery Rocket System) program, developed in cooperation with Lockheed Martin. The GMARS concept combines Rheinmetall’s HX 8×8 tactical truck chassis with launcher technologies derived from the HIMARS and M270 systems, enabling the use of multiple rocket launcher munitions, long-range precision strike missiles, and tactical missile systems.