King Felipe VI presided over the naval review, a dynamic exhibition and air parade in Gijón on the eve of ‘Armed Forces Day 2024’.

• The Minister of Defence and the Chief of Defence accompanied him, first on board the patrol boat ‘Atalaya’ and then on the beach of San Lorenzo.

King Felipe VI, accompanied by the Minister of Defence and the Chief of Defence Staff, today presided over a naval review, a dynamic display and an air parade on the San Lorenzo beach in Gijón. Felipe VI boarded the ‘Atalaya’ from where he reviewed the aircraft carrier ‘Juan Carlos I’, the supply ship ‘Galicia’, the frigates ‘Blas de Lezo’ and ‘Santa María’, the minehunters ‘Tajo’ and ‘Tambre’ and the ship ‘Intermares’, as well as the Civil Guard patrol boat ‘Río Luna’.

Shortly afterwards, amphibious operations, static flights, sea chases and aerial acrobatics began on the beach of San Lorenzo, with the participation of different means and personnel from the Marine Infantry Force, the Army, the Air and Space Forces, the Military Emergency Unit and the Guardia Civil.

The climax of the day in Gijón was the air parade, in which 53 aircraft and 21 helicopters also from the Army, the Navy, the Air and Space Army and the Civil Guard took part, and which was closed by the Eagle Patrol.

In Oviedo, after the overflight of some of the aircraft that had participated in the air parade, the parade of Military Music Units began. From various streets in the city centre, they paraded to the Cathedral square where they all participated together in a Music Gathering. First, each of them performed a selection from their repertoire, ending with a joint performance. The meeting was presided over by the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral General Teodoro Esteban Calderón, accompanied by military and civilian authorities.