Instalaza facts for kids
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| S.A. | |
| Industry | Defence |
| Founded | 1943 |
| Headquarters | , |
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Area served
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worldwide |
| Products | Explosives, Electro-optical devices |
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Operating income
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12.4 million € (2011) |
 1.68 million € (2011) |
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Number of employees
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140 (2007) |
Instalaza SA is a Spanish company that creates and builds equipment for soldiers. This includes things like special weapons and devices that help them see at night. The company started in 1943. Its main office and factory are in Zaragoza, a city in Aragon, Spain.
Instalaza is well-known for supplying equipment to the Spanish armed forces. They also sell their products to countries all over the world. A former government official, Pedro Morenés Eulate, used to work as a consultant for Instalaza.
In 2007, Instalaza SA had 140 employees. Their factory covered a large area of 18,000 square meters. The company was worth more than 5 million Euros and had a revenue of 15 million Euros.
Contents
Changes in Production: The Cluster Munitions Ban
In 2008, Instalaza faced a big challenge. Many countries agreed to ban "cluster bombs." These are weapons that release many smaller bombs over a wide area. This ban happened because of an international agreement called the Convention on Cluster Munitions. These weapons were seen as dangerous to civilians, even after battles ended.
Instalaza used to make a type of cluster bomb called the MAT-120. After the ban, the Spanish government told the company to stop making them. Even though Instalaza had to stop production, they kept the MAT-120 in their online catalog. They said it showed their advanced technology. They also stated that their weapon was designed to be safer. It had features to self-destruct or become harmless if it didn't work properly.
Some people worried that even with these features, such weapons could still be risky. However, Instalaza explained that their MAT-120 was designed to become completely safe if it didn't explode. The company was not allowed to sell any patents related to this bomb.
After this ban, Instalaza had to change what it produced. They focused on developing and selling new types of military technology. Because of these changes, Instalaza SA continued to make military equipment for many countries around the world.
In February 2013, Instalaza showed off its products at a defense exhibition in Abu Dhabi. Buyers there were very interested. This showed that the defense industry was growing well in Spain. Instalaza returned to the same exhibition in 2021. They presented new products like advanced optics, infrared sights, thermal cameras, and even prototypes of short-range missiles. They achieved high sales in many countries.
Past Claims of Weapon Use
In April 2011, some organizations reported that MAT-120 cluster mortar rounds from 2007 were used in Misrata, Libya. This happened during fighting by forces loyal to Gaddafi. However, a high-ranking US official said she was not aware of these specific weapons being used.
Security Incident: Letter Bomb Attempt
On November 30, 2022, a dangerous package was sent to Instalaza's headquarters in Zaragoza. This happened just hours after a similar package injured an officer at Ukraine's embassy in Madrid. Both packages seemed to come from the same place.
Because of this, Instalaza called the police. The package was small, about 10 by 15 centimeters. An X-ray showed it contained an explosive device ready to go off when opened. The police safely exploded the package at the factory, and no one was hurt. Officials later said that both letter bombs appeared to have the same sender.
Products Made by Instalaza
Instalaza makes a variety of equipment for soldiers. Here are some examples:
- Alcotán-100 (a type of weapon)
- C90-CR (M3) (another type of weapon)
- C100 (similar to Alcotán-100)
- Alhambra hand grenade
- VN-series night vision scopes (devices to help see in the dark)
- MAT-120 cargo mortar (the weapon affected by the ban)
- FTV Rifle Grenade
See also
In Spanish: Instalaza para niños
