The Ministry of Defense has contracted Sener TAFS to develop a technological demonstrator for high-dynamic loitering munitions, a capability that has gained significant attention in recent military conflicts. The project, named Murade, will build upon the Scrab II, an unmanned aerial system originally developed as a target for air defense exercises.
The research and development contract amounts to €292,751, including taxes, and will be executed from August 2026 to November 30, 2027. It is part of the Coincidente program of the General Directorate of Armament and Material (DGAM), which aims to leverage technologies developed in the civil or commercial sector that may have applications of interest to defense.
The project’s significance lies not so much in its relatively modest budget compared to large military acquisition programs, but in the technology it aims to develop. Murade seeks to demonstrate that an existing aerial platform can evolve into a system with new capabilities for navigation, autonomy, communications, and mission management.
From target drone to loitering munition demonstrator
The Scrab II was conceived for a very different purpose. It is a target drone, an unmanned aircraft that simulates aerial threats so that the Armed Forces can train their detection, tracking, and interception systems.
The platform is powered by one or two turbines and can reach speeds of up to 120 meters per second, approximately 432 kilometers per hour. Its autonomy extends to 60 minutes, it can operate at altitudes of up to 6,000 meters, and has a radio link range of up to 100 kilometers. It measures 2.94 meters in length, has a wingspan of approximately 2.52 meters, and a maximum takeoff weight of 90 kilograms.
Sener notes that the Scrab II has served as a target in activities related to air defense systems such as Standard, Hawk, Roland, and IRIS-T. It can also operate from various locations, including ships during high-seas exercises.
Murade will leverage this flight platform but will need to incorporate different technologies to develop the functions envisaged for a loitering munition. Hence, it should not be interpreted that the currently available Scrab II will simply receive a payload and become the new system. The contract aims to develop and test a demonstrator.
Artificial intelligence and greater autonomy
A significant part of the program will focus on electronic and control systems. The development includes technologies for autonomous navigation and positioning, artificial intelligence, and robust communications, as well as the necessary systems to evolve from a platform used in training to an architecture designed for new missions.
Loitering munitions occupy an intermediate space between conventional drones and certain types of missiles. They can remain over an operational area for a period before engaging a target, which explains the growing interest in improving their autonomy, navigation, and coordination capabilities.
The Spanish initiative also aims to advance towards systems capable of operating collaboratively and in swarms, as well as maintaining their capabilities in degraded electromagnetic environments. Therefore, technological development is not limited to the aircraft itself but also impacts communications, navigation, and coordination among platforms.
Three Spanish projects competing to develop this capability
Murade is not the only project selected by the Ministry of Defense. The Loimun line of the Coincidente program has chosen three different proposals to explore national solutions in loitering munitions.
Alongside the project originally presented by Remote Control Systems —currently integrated into Sener TAFS— are Mamma, from Arquimea Advanced Systems, and Milpro, promoted by Swarming Technologies & Solutions and Instalaza. Instalaza and UAV Navigation are also involved in Murade.
This information helps contextualize the contract. Defense has not yet selected a system that will be widely acquired and deployed; instead, it is financing various technological pathways to develop a capability that could later evolve into larger-scale programs.
The model allows for risk reduction before making larger industrial investments: demonstrators are first developed and tested, after which decisions can be made regarding continuity, production, or acquisition.
Sener strengthens its unmanned systems business
The project also reflects Sener’s strategy to enhance its capabilities in autonomous systems. In 2024, it acquired Remote Control Systems (SCR), the company that developed and marketed the Scrab II. Subsequently, both entities advanced in their integration until SCR was incorporated into Sener TAFS.
This operation enabled Sener to integrate technologies and expertise related to unmanned aerial, terrestrial, and naval systems. Murade now uses one of the products stemming from that acquisition as a starting point to enter another technological segment.
Sener TAFS’s relationship with the Ministry of Defense goes beyond this project. The company works with the Navy in supplying and supporting aerial targets used for training. A recent framework agreement for rental, acquisition, training, spare parts, and technical support for these systems is estimated to be worth €6.6 million, including possible extensions.
The Official State Bulletin (BOE) also confirms awards to Sener TAFS related to targets for Navy units, reinforcing its position as a supplier in this area.
Spain seeks homegrown technology in a strategic market
Murade should be understood in the context of a broader movement within the Spanish defense industry. The increasing military needs in Europe are driving investments in drones, communications, electronic warfare, autonomous systems, and munitions, while governments seek to reduce certain technological dependencies from abroad.
In this framework, the Coincidente program allows different companies to develop technologies that may later translate into national capabilities.
The Sener contract is still an early phase of that process. Murade is not currently an operational munition to be incorporated into the Armed Forces, but a demonstrator whose development will determine the viability of the proposed technologies. Any eventual production or entry into service would require subsequent decisions and contracts.
For this reason, the story’s interest lies more in the direction it indicates than in the €292,751 of the contract. Spain is simultaneously financing several solutions to develop its own knowledge in a technology that is rapidly reshaping modern warfare, and Sener has just entered this race leveraging a platform it already has proven as an aerial target.
