Madrid, May 8 (UNI) Spain will spend about 3 billion euros ($3.39 billion) on developing cybersecurity as part of a new plan for the industrial and technological modernization of the kingdom's security and defense sector, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said.

"We are talking about an industrial and technological plan for security and defense ... What is planned to be done? It [the plan] provides for the allocation of 3 billion euros to combat threats by developing cybersecurity systems based on artificial intelligence and quantum computing, in which Spain, fortunately, is well versed," Sanchez said on Wednesday in a speech to the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the parliament.

Spain faces more than a thousand cyberattacks on critical infrastructure facilities every year, Sanchez noted, adding that the funds will also be used to strengthen the army's telecommunications capabilities, create new communications satellites, modernize radar systems and introduce 5G networks.

As part of the overall defense plan approved by the government, Spain will increase defense spending to 2% of GDP in 2025, including by redirecting part of the funds from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Total investment in security and defense next year will amount to 33.1 billion euros.

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