Tactical Group ‘Canarias’ Continues Deployment in the Canary Islands

• The Land Operational Command reinforces presence, surveillance, and deterrence patrols in non-peninsular territory.

The Land Operational Command has deployed the ‘Canary Islands’ Tactical Group to continue its operational activities across the Canary Islands archipelago. This activation is part of the Presence, Surveillance, and Deterrence Operations (OPVD)., which are carried out periodically across the non-peninsular territories—specifically the Canary Islands, Ceuta, Melilla, and the Balearic Islands—under the operational control of the Commander of the Operations Command.

On Tenerife Island, the ‘Bravo’ Tactical Subgroup has been deployed, based on a company from the ‘Tenerife’ 49^th  Infantry Regiment and a section of the XVI Engineer Battalion. As Sergeant Gimeno, head of the Engineers section, points out, “Our mission is to maintain a presence on the island and establish direct contact with the civilian population. We are conducting reconnaissance of the different deployment areas, in addition to performing our duties as engineers, which include assessing critical infrastructure such as bridges, reservoirs, and bunkers. 

This operation runs 24 hours a day and, in addition to fulfilling its primary objectives, contributes to the cohesion and coordination of units from the various Permanent Commands. It also strengthens knowledge of the environment across all domains (land, air, maritime, cyberspace, and space) within the OPVD framework.

Tactical Group ‘Canarias’

The ‘Canarias’ XVI Brigade, under the Canary Islands Command, conducts presence operations across the Canary Islands archipelago through the activation of the Tactical Group ‘Canarias’. This Tactical Group is the operational unit tasked with carrying out patrols and reconnaissance in various areas, while also engaging in operations across naval, air, and cyberspace domains. These regular missions enhance the units’ understanding of the environment and, through their daily work, contribute to safeguarding the freedoms, rights, and well-being of all residents.

The Land Operational Command

The Land Operational Command  is the branch within the operational structure of the Armed Forces, subordinate to the Chief of Defence, that is responsible, at its level, for planning, conducting and monitoring permanent surveillance and security operations in land areas of sovereignty, responsibility, and national interest. It is under the command of Lieutenant General Julio Salom Herrera.

Presence, Surveillance, and Deterrence Operations

Presence, Surveillance and Deterrence Operations are an effective tool for maintaining surveillance of national sovereignty spaces that allows for the early detection of threats and facilitates an immediate and viable response to a potential crisis. 

The Land (MOT), Maritime (MOM), Air (MOA), Space (MOESPA) and Cyberspace (MOC) 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 Operations Command.