The patrol vessel ‘Centinela’ tracks a Russian vessel in Spanish sovereign waters

•  The navy patrol vessel ‘Centinela’ has tracked a Russian vessel sailing off the Galician coast

Between 2 and 3 October, the Navy patrol vessel ‘Centinela’ (P-72) tracked the Russian amphibious landing ship ‘Vitse Admiral Ivan Gren’ as she passed off the Galician coast.

The ‘Sentinel’, part of the Maritime Operational Command and under operational control of the Operations Command, identified the Russian vessel to the northwest of the Spanish coast, which she tracked - for two days and under rough weather conditions - until she left the national maritime waters of interest in the Bay of Biscay. At that point, the ‘Sentinel’ transferred tracking responsibility to a French vessel.

Today, the patrol vessel ends the Presence, Surveillance and Deterrence Operation that it has carried out in the Strait of Gibraltar, in the Alboran Sea and on the Atlantic coast during the month of September. The ‘Centinela’ is now sailing back to her home port in Ferrol.

Maritime Operational Command (MOM)

The Maritime Operational Command is the body within the operational structure of the Armed Forces, subordinate to the Chief of Defence and responsible, at his level, for planning, conducting and monitoring permanent surveillance and security operations in maritime waters of sovereignty, responsibility and national interest. It is under the command of the Admiral of Maritime Operations at its headquarters in Cartagena.

Presence, Surveillance and Deterrence Operations

Presence, Surveillance and Deterrence Operations are an effective tool for maintaining surveillance of sovereign land, sea and air spaces, enabling early detection of threats and facilitating an immediate and viable response to any potential crisis.

The Land (MOT), Maritime (MOM), Air (MOA), Cyberspace (MOC) and Space (MOESPA) Operational Commands make up the Permanent Command structure. On a daily basis, some 3,000 Armed Forces personnel are involved in these types of operations under the operational control of the Joint Operations Command.