Eagle Eye 20-01': the national air defence is put to the test in Malaga

·       An Air Defense Unit, the frigate 'Admiral Juan de Borbón' and EF-18 fighters, among other means, will participate from 17 to 21 February in this operational activation

snbsp;During these five days, defensive air missions will be carried out in response to incursions and movements of unidentified aircraft. The objective is to train and evaluate the integration of land, naval and air means within the framework of Permanent Operations.

The Air Defence and Operations Command (MDOA in spanish), under the operational control of the Operations Command (MOPS), will lead the 'Eagle Eye 20-01', which seeks to maintain the efficiency of the integration of all National Air Defense System capabilities from the Air Force, Navy and Army.

Thus, the 'Eagle Eye 20-01' aims to provide the operational structure of the Armed Forces with the capabilities of the Air Defence and Operations Command, capable of carrying out the permanent tasks of surveillance and air defence of the national territory, 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

To this end, the Air Defence and Operations Command, as the body responsible for surveillance and security operations within national airspace, shall activate and integrate the following means:

- Army: An Air Defence Unit (ADU), whose core will be the II/74 Air Defence Artillery Group and which will be composed of different Units of the Air Defence Artillery Command (MAAA in spanish) with HAWK, NASAMS and MISTRAL missile systems and Oerlikon 35/90 cannons. In addition, military personnel from the Legion-Tercio "Alejandro Farnesio" IV- will support Force Protection.

- Navy: The frigate F-102 "Almirante Juan de Borbón", second in the class 'Álvaro de Bazán'. An AEGIS combat system, coupled with the SPY-1D multi-function radar, provides the frigate with a great capacity for anti-aircraft warfare. The Spanish Navy ship is based in Ferrol and belongs to the 32nd Surface Squadron.

- Air Force: Means of the 15th Wing -including six EF-18M fighters-, of the Air Combat Command, of the Central Command and Control Group, of the Second Air Deployment Support Squadron, of the Mobile Air Control Group, of the Malaga air base and of several Air Surveillance Squadrons (EVA's)

All personnel assigned to the MDOA, Air Combat Command Operations Centre personnel and Command and Control System units receive demanding daily training. Their objective is to be permanently ready to immediately contribute to the defence and control of national airspace within the framework of permanent operations and to defend the interests of Spain's missions and operations, both inside and outside our territory.