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Women at the heart of Defence GENDER equality in the Armed Forces and in the Defence industry enjoyed a high profile at the Exhibition. Through a specific forum, stock was taken of the 30 years that have passed since the entry of the first women into military life, and the importance of equal work for men and women was stressed, both in the institutions and in all sectors related to security and defence, including technology and science. The debates were opened by the former UN Secretary-General’s Chef de cabinet, Susana Malcorra, who reflected on female leadership in peace processes. «Women», she said, «who up to now have been used as weapons of war, should be part of the solution and the way out of conflicts». Next up was the Ministry of Defence’s general director of Personnel, Adoración Mateos, who stressed the role of Spain as a country at the forefront of gender policies, highlighting the effort being made by the Ministry to train the expert personnel in this area who join the peace-keeping operations of various international organisations. The general director outlined the initiatives implemented to facilitate equality and a work-life balance for military personnel without undermining the operability of the units. Among others, she highlighted the measures approved to attend in particular to those with young children and single-parent families, and to the extended families of the partners of military personnel. «In a world in constant flux, our Armed Forces have shown they can adapt to this changing reality, and have constantly sought a balance between tradition and renovation», concluded Adoración Mateos. The forum was organised in three discussion panels, the first of which focused on matters concerning women, peace and security, the second of which addressed the harnessing of female talent in Defence and Security, and the third of which discussed the challenges and opportunities for women in the industry. order to disseminate their information tools, virtual library, databases and journals. Among the publications was the Spanish Defence Industry Catalogue 2019-20, which aims to support this sector. The catalogue has a clear international vocation and presents information about our capabilities, useful to any person or organisation that needs this information. For their part, the Armed Forces and the State Security Forces and Bodies exhibited their latest equipment. The Army exhibitor focused on Force 2035, dividing the materials into three categories: those that have been provided, those included in the testing plan and those likely to provide a technological advantage. Visitors were able to see one of the new VERT reconnaissance vehicles and drones of different sizes and operational functions. This new horizon of the Army was explained with infographics to facilitate understanding. The Navy showcased information about its missions, the navigation simulators developed by Navantia for the newest vessels —such as the LHD Juan Carlos I— and models of other units (the S-80 submarine, the future F-110 frigate, etc.). The Air Force presented some of the capabilities provided by the industry, including the Eurofighter combat aircraft and the A400M transport aircraft, the NH90 helicopter, the Euromale drone and the Lanza radar. At the stand, special attention was paid to the work of the Logistic Centre for Armament and Experimentation (Centro Logístico de Armamento y Experimentación (CLAEX), a reference unit in R&D+i. The Military Emergencies Unit (UME) exhibited, among other materials, its multi-purpose truck, which is the result of an R&D+I project of the UME supported by the industry. It is a single platform that can be configured, depending on needs, as a fire truck, snow plough or cargo vehicle. In addition to the UME, two other main institutions involved in emergency management were present at the Exhibition: Civil Protection and 112, in this case from the Community of Madrid. The National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) showcased the Diana high-speed air target (UAV-Blanco Aéreo de Alta Velocidad FEINDEF July/August 2019 Revista Española de Defensa 25


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