BAM 'Tornado' begins its participation in Surveillance and Deterrence Standing Operations

• The Navy ship will carry out a surveillance and security patrol in maritime areas under national sovereignty and will visit the port of Ceuta

The maritime action ship (BAM) 'Tornado' (P-44), belonging to the Canary Islands Naval Command and based at the Arsenal of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, set sail as part of the Maritime Operational Command. Its mission is to carry out maritime surveillance tasks, in order to contribute to guarantee the security of the maritime areas of national interest within the framework of the Permanent Operations-Standing Operations of the Armed Forces, integrated in the Maritime Operational Command (MOM) and under the operational control of the Operations Command (MOPS). The ship is scheduled to visit the port of Ceuta.

Within the assigned missions, it is worth highlighting the contribution to the Maritime Environment Awareness (MEA), an enabling element for the rest of the operations and the Maritime Security Operations (MSO), which constitute the specific actions against threats and illegal acts that endanger security in the maritime environment.

Maritime Operational Command (MOM) 

The Maritime Operational Command (MOM) is the body of the operational structure of the Armed Forces, subordinate to the Chief of Defense Staff (JEMAD) responsible for planning, conducting and monitoring the permanent surveillance and security operations of the maritime areas of sovereignty, responsibility and national interest. It is under the command of the Admiral of Maritime Action (ALMART) and is headquartered in Cartagena.

Surveillance and Deterrence Standing Operations

Surveillance and Deterrence Standing operations are an effective tool to maintain surveillance of sovereign spaces, which allows for the early detection of threats and facilitates an immediate and viable response to a potential crisis.

The Land (MOT), Maritime (MOM), Aerospace (MOA) and Cyberspace (MOC) Operational Commands make up the Permanent Command structure, which has more than 3,000 military personnel involved in these operations on a daily basis.

About  BAM ‘Tornado’

BAM 'Tornado' is one of the four maritime action ships under the Canary Islands Naval Command based at the Arsenal of Las Palmas, and designed to carry out maritime security missions, protection of national maritime interests and control of areas of sovereignty and national interest, in addition to missions in collaboration with Law Enforcement and Security Forces at sea. They also carry out missions of control and protection of maritime traffic; surveillance and control of fishing and fight against maritime pollution.

‘The 'Tornado' has a crew of 46 men and women.  Lieutenant Commander Felipe Areal Fernández has been in command since July 2021.