Expeditionary battle group 'Dédalo 24' participates in 'Neptune Strike' enhanced surveillance activities

• The group commander, Rear Admiral Gonzalo Villar, highlights Spain's commitment to the Alliance

The Expeditionary Battle Group 'Daedalus-24' is currently participating in NATO's 'Neptune Strike' (NEST) enhanced peacetime surveillance activities, which have been underway in the Mediterranean since 26 April and will continue until 10 May.

The aim of these activities is to enhance the Alliance's ability to work in joint and multi-domain operations, to integrate allied carrier groups and to directly support Allied deterrence and Defence strategy.

In this context, the command ship of the Dédalo Group, the 'Juan Carlos I', is participating in NEST together with the French aircraft carrier 'Charles de Gaulle', the Italian 'Cavour' and the Turkish 'Anadolu', twin of the Spanish ship.

For their part, the Harrier aircraft will fly with the allies over the skies of Slovakia, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Italy, Montenegro and Albania, and will carry out missions in support of the troops deployed in the countries of Eastern Europe, including Spanish troops in Slovakia.

The commander of the 'Dédalo', Rear Admiral Gonzalo Villar, highlighted Spain's commitment to the Alliance and its strategy of deterrence and defence, and emphasized the projection and expeditionary capacity of the Spanish Group, as well as its versatility in carrying out different types of missions and activities.

In addition to the four aircraft carriers mentioned above, 21 ships, 48 aircraft and two Marine battalions (one of them Spanish) are taking part in the 'Neptune Strike' activities. In terms of personnel, a total of 4,600 military personnel from 15 countries are taking part in the exercises.

 Simultaneously with NEST, the Daedalus-24 Group is participating in the Italian amphibious exercise 'Mare Aperto', together with 6,000 troops from allied countries.

At the end of May, the Group will begin the Atlantic phase of the deployment, which will include a stopover in Gijón to take part in Armed Forces Day activities, and will continue in the Baltic Sea to take part in the multinational exercise 'BALTOPS 24'.