The 'Marfil' Air Tactical Detachment congratulates the Air Deployment Support Squadron on 30 years since its creation

• EADA personnel have been well performing their missions of protection and support to the detachment in Senegal uninterruptedly since its inception

The Air and Space Army (EA) Air Deployment Support Squadron (EADA) celebrates 30 years since its creation on January 12, 1994 and does so with personnel permanently deployed in the Air Tactical Detachment (DAT) 'Marfil' since its inception in 2013.

The organizational structure of the DAT encompasses several functional areas that ensure the full operability of the Detachment; among them, the Deployment Support and Force Protection Section (ADPF) is a fundamental pillar, both for sustaining air operations and for guaranteeing the safety of the Detachment's personnel and material.

The Deployment Support and Force Protection Section (DPSF)

Composed mainly of personnel from the EADA (Air Deployment Support Squadron), and with occasional support in the facilities maintenance area of the EA's SEADA (Second Air Deployment Support Squadron), this Section performs four main functions:

·        Force Protection (FP) for Detachment personnel and material.

·        Air Mobility Protection Teams (AMPT)

·        Air Transport Support Section (SATRA)

·        Intelligence Related to Force Protection (INTEL)

The first of these functions takes the form of adopting the necessary measures to prevent any action that could affect the personnel or operations of the Marfil Detachment; in escorting vehicles to and from the Detachment; in the permanent regulatory, technical and practical training of ADPF Section personnel; and in the 24/7 control and supervision of the security service of the Spanish modular building, among others.

On the other hand, the AMPT teams are in charge of protecting the aircraft, its crew, passengers and cargo, both in the air and on the ground during flights within the Theater of Operations, having fulfilled their objectives in the 1190 missions carried out by the DAT so far.

Regarding SATRA, it facilitates, on a small scale, several of the services of an airport terminal, undertaking the preparation, loading, and unloading of material and personnel from aircraft not only in the own detachment's  facilities, but also in any of the almost 20 countries that make up the area of operations in which it is required. Their work and dedication has allowed the movement and air transport of 1,210,000 kg of Spanish cargo and 7,400 Spanish passengers.

Finally, the role of FP INTEL, in close collaboration with the organic Intelligence elements, is to gather from all possible sources all available information on the different areas of operation of the Detachment (airfields, hotels, cities, routes, etc.) in order to be able to predict the action of hostile elements and to be able to implement new measures to prevent them from materializing.

ADPF Section Staff

The responsibilities of the ADPF Section demand great physical and mental strength from its personnel; the severe Senegalese tropical weather conditions, coupled with a very demanding operational tempo, put a considerable strain on the Detachment's personnel in general, and on the members of this Section in particular.

For this reason, tenacity, a spirit of sacrifice and resilience are indispensable characteristics for these positions.

The EADA is the Air and Space Army unit that, since the beginning of the mission in Senegal, has covered these functions.