The ‘Isla de León’ carries out surveillance patrols in the waters of the Strait and the Alboran Sea

•  The Spanish vessel has set sail once again on a new operation to demonstrate naval presence, conduct surveillance and act as a deterrent in areas of sovereignty and national interest

The Area Surveillance Patrol Vessel (PVZ) ‘Isla de León’ has carried out an operation involving naval presence, maritime surveillance and control of areas of national interest.

On this occasion, the Spanish vessel has patrolled the waters of the Strait and the Alboran Sea on a mission whose main objective was to contribute to maritime security and support the civil authorities responsible for state action at sea.

The commander of the operation – Lieutenant Francisco Javier Morales Yedra – highlights the unit’s strategic location. “Our home port is located in Ceuta, a strategic enclave given the narrowness of the Strait of Gibraltar. Ships sailing to or from the Mediterranean Sea have to pass very close to us, and this allows us to have a comprehensive understanding of the maritime environment,” he explains.

Patrol vessel ‘Isla de León’

The patrol vessel ‘Isla de León’ has joined the Maritime Action Force Unit Command in Cádiz (COMARDIZ). It is a vessel of the Maritime Action Force (FAM in Spanish) named after Isla de León, home to the town of San Fernando, Cádiz. The patrol vessel belongs to the ‘Toralla’ class, alongside the patrol vessels ‘Toralla’ and ‘Formentor’, based in Cartagena, and the ‘Isla Pinto’, based in Melilla.

Of the RODMAN 101 class, unique in the Navy due to its length of 101 feet – equivalent to approximately 31 metres – it previously served in the Galician Regional Government’s Coastguard Service until it was handed over to the Navy in October 2022.

Maritime Operational Command and the OPVDs

The Maritime Operational Command (MOM) is the body within the operational structure of the Armed Forces, subordinate to the Chief of Defence (JEMAD), responsible, at its level, for the planning, conduct and monitoring of operations involving presence, surveillance and deterrence in maritime areas of sovereignty, responsibility and national interest. It is under the command of the Admiral of Maritime Operations (ALMART), Vice-Admiral Vicente Cuquerella Gamboa, and is headquartered in Cartagena.

As part of the MOM, various Navy vessels carry out OPVD operations, which are an effective tool for maintaining surveillance of areas of sovereignty and interest. This enhances understanding of the maritime environment, contributes to its comprehensive protection—in conjunction with other state institutions—and also enables the early detection of threats and facilitates an immediate and effective response to a potential crisis.

Together with the MOM, the Land Operational Command (MOT), Air Operational Command (MOA), Space Operational Command (MOESPA) and Cyber Operational Command (MOC) form the structure of the Permanent Commands. On a daily basis, some 850 military personnel from the Armed Forces are involved in permanent operations, which are conducted under the operational control of the Operations Command.