Spanish vessels monitor several Russian naval units in national sovereignty waters

• The frigates F-103 ‘Blas de Lezo’ and F-104 ‘Méndez Núñez’ , as well as the patrol boat P-73 ‘Vigía’, have carried out their mission along the Galician coast, the Alboran Sea and the Strait of Gibraltar.

The frigates  F- 103 ‘Blas de Lezo’ and F-104 ‘Méndez Núñez’ , as well as the patrol boat ‘Vigía’, have tracked several Russian naval units in their transit through Spanish sovereign waters.

Specifically, the ‘Méndez Núñez’ has followed a Russian group composed of the frigate ‘Neustrashimyy’ and the supply vessel ‘Pashin’ in its transit off the Galician coast and until its departure from the maritime areas of interest in the Cantabrian Sea. After completing its task, it handed over monitoring responsibility to a French vessel.

Meanwhile, the ‘Blas de Lezo’ followed the frigate ‘Admiral Golovko’, the supply vessel ‘Vyazma’ and the intelligence gathering vessel ‘Kildin’, also during their transit off the Galician coast. On this occasion, the Spanish frigate relieved a French ship of the ‘Marine Nationale’ in this task, from the Bay of Biscay until its departure from the maritime areas of interest in the northwest peninsular. At that time, the ‘Blas de Lezo’ transferred tracking responsibility to a vessel from Portugal.

Finally, the offshore patrol vessel ‘Vigía’ was reassigned to track the corvette ‘Merkury’ during its transit through the Alboran Sea towards the Strait of Gibraltar. Subsequently, it intercepted the aforementioned Russian grouping in Atlantic waters, which was formed by the frigate ‘Admiral Golovko’, the oil tanker ‘Vyazma’ and the vessel ‘Kildin’. The ‘Vigía’ monitored the grouping during its transit through the Strait of Gibraltar and the Alboran Sea on its way to the Eastern Mediterranean.

The performance of these missions is carried out within the framework of Presence, Surveillance and Deterrence (OPVD in Spanish) operations, by the vessels integrated in the Maritime Operational Command (MOM in Spanish) and under the operational control of the Operations Command (MOPS in Spanish).

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 Defence (JEMAD in Spanish) responsible, at his level, for planning, conducting and monitoring permanent surveillance and security operations in maritime areas of sovereignty, responsibility and national interest. It is under the command of the Admiral of Maritime Action and is based in Cartagena.

Presence, Surveillance and Deterrence Operations

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

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