{
  "id": 3845118,
  "title": "Indra, Rheinmetall and Leonardo slash their workforces",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/indra-rheinmetall-y-leonardo-disparan-sus-plantillas",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-27T22:54:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Expansion ES",
    "slug": "expansion-es",
    "url": "https://www.expansion.com/empresas/2026/08/28/6a907a2be5fdeaf9428b458a.html"
  },
  "original_language": "es",
  "account": "The European defense sector is undergoing a transformation and growth stage driven by the global geopolitical context, as Europe seeks to develop its own military capabilities and invest after years of relying on the United States for protection. This shift, backed by billions of euros in public funds, necessitates increased staffing in major defense companies to meet various state projects. Armored vehicles, new aircraft, ships, drones, and various armaments and equipment require significant human resources. Spain's Indra has been the most significant employer among European military industrial companies, with its defense division growing from 5,157 employees in the first half of 2023 to 7,878 workers by June 2026, a 53% increase over two years, according to its latest accounts. The company's overall workforce, including its technology arm, Minsait, reached 58,383 employees by the end of the first half of 2026, a 5% decrease from a year prior due to the sale of its Business Process Outsourcing unit to Teknei for nearly €100 million. Indra's Aerospace division, which includes Hispasat and Hisdesat assets, saw its workforce grow from 847 employees to 1,631 by mid-2026, nearly double the size of the previous year. Rheinmetall, a German defense giant, recently divested its civilian automotive division to focus entirely on the military business. After this sale, Rheinmetall had 29,636 employees, a 53% increase since 2024. Similarly, Italian defense leader Leonardo reported a 8.6% increase in its workforce to 66,510 employees in the first half of 2026, and a 14.12% rise since the same period in 2024. Much of this growth is attributed to the Defense Electronics area, which accounts for 42% of its employees. Leonardo's CEO aims for a workforce of 75,500 by 2030. British defense leader BAE Systems ended the first half of 2026 with 112,400 employees, a 12.4% increase over two years and a 2.5% increase from June 2025. The company recorded an additional €19 billion in orders between January and June, a 24% growth. Airbus Defence and Space had 36,446 employees by June 2026, a 2% increase from two years prior and a 1.3% rise from the first half of 2025. The company is merging its aerospace business with Leonardo and Thales in the Project Bromo. Swedish Saab, which recently separated from its automotive business, ended 2025 with 27,865 employees, a 13.5% year-over-year increase. Spain needs around 8,000 to 13,000 aeronautical maintenance technicians in the coming decade, according to PwC's report on the employment situation in the aerospace sector. The difficulty in filling these positions stems from both a shortage of candidates and stringent regulatory requirements.",
  "summary": "The Spanish and German groups increase their number of employees for their military business by more than 50% in two years. Leonardo increases its workers by 14% and BAE Systems by 12%.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}