Spanish Army receives Castor advanced combat vehicles

GDELS Santa Bárbara Sistemas announced on Friday that it had completed the delivery of four ASCOD “Castor” Armored Combat Vehicles (VCZAP) to the Spanish Army, as part of the second phase Pizarro program.

These vehicles are poised to equip Spanish engineering units with cutting-edge vehicles, enhancing their capabilities for various tasks and missions.

The handover of the armored vehicles, along with their dozer blades, occurred at the GDELS Santa Bárbara Sistemas factory in Alcalá de Guadaíra (Seville) on March 5. The reception was overseen by personnel from the Spanish Ministry of Defense Pizarro Program Office and the Armored Systems Park and Maintenance Center (PCMASA) number 1 of the Spanish Army.

Subsequently, the “Castor” vehicles were officially transferred to PCMASA and relocated to Zaragoza, Burgos, and Madrid for operational deployment.

Under the contract between the Spanish Ministry of Defense and GDELS Santa Bárbara Sistemas, a total of 36 “Castor” vehicles, including one prototype and 35 production units, were planned for delivery, each equipped with its respective dozer blade.

The initial phase of deliveries commenced in December 2023, with six vehicles being handed over. With the recent completion of the four additional vehicles, a total of ten series vehicles, including the prototype, have been delivered to date.

The ongoing delivery schedule is set to ensure the provision of all remaining units throughout the course of 2024.