Margarita Robles presents 'Numant-IA', a key project for national defence, with headquarters in Soria

The Minister for Defence, Margarita Robles, at the presentation of the Numant-IA Advanced Technological Capabilities Center

The Ministry of Defence's Advanced Technological Capabilities Centre in Soria, known as 'Numant-IA', is scheduled to be operational by early 2028. A key first-level project for national security and defence that will give birth to a private, data-independent cloud that provides the back-up and resilience needed in the age of Artificial Intelligence.

Some 20 people will be permanently employed at the centre, which will operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In turn, its construction and everything derived from it, such as the drafting of the project, will have a significant economic and employment impact on the city, with the establishment of the criterion to use local skills to bring the centre to fruition.

It will be located on a plot of land of almost 4 hectares in the Valcorba industrial estate, donated by Soria City Council, where topographical studies are already underway to install "this pioneering centre, which is a commitment to modernisation and the incorporation of artificial intelligence systems for the benefit of the Armed Forces", as the director of CESTIC, Lieutenant General José María Millán, pointed out.

The Minister for Defence, Margarita Robles, presided over the event, together with the Secretary of State, Amparo Valcarce, who said that "we are taking a step towards the future. A cutting-edge facility, an example of territorial cohesion and commitment to creating quality employment in places with a population imbalance".

"Cybersecurity has become a concern throughout Europe and the world. Therefore, this centre is aligned with the EU Defence White Paper and is a pole of attraction for talent and the establishment of synergies with universities, among others. It is, therefore, an example of how Defence can decentralise services and generate opportunities throughout the country.

Dual technology

The Ministry of Defence will assume the €70 million investment. Margarita Robles expressed her pride in this project, which "is essential for the future of our Armed Forces", for which she had a few words of praise: "The men and women of the Armed Forces are the best guarantee of professionalism in international missions, in support of humanitarian aid or in fires, as has been made clear in the fires that have ravaged part of Castilla y León this summer".

"For this reason, they deserve the best with commitment and investments like this," said Robles, who pointed out the importance of this centre to protect the capabilities of our armed forces, and to do so from a dual perspective "that allows civil society to be included".

Margarita Robles did not hesitate to insist that cybersecurity and cyber defence are key issues on the international agenda and this is reflected in the Industrial and Technological Plan for Security and Defence approved a few months ago, which is a clear commitment by the government to modernise national security capabilities.

Non official translation