Cooperation of the Spanish Armed Forces in the security and protection arrangements for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

• Spain deploys a NASAMS Anti-Air Defence Unit (UDAA in Spanish) in Marseille and five Military Working Dog Teams in Paris

Today some of the competitions at the Paris Olympic Games, the greatest international sporting event, whose opening ceremony will be held on 26th July along the Seine River, start. In order to guarantee the development of these Games, France has requested the support of the different military capabilities from allied and friendly countries, among which is Spain.

In response to this request, the Spanish Armed Forces are cooperating in two specific aspects: reinforcing the French air defence system, uniquely with detection and surveillance capabilities by means of the UDAA radar in the assigned surveillance sector; and carrying out explosives detection tasks with teams of trained dogs (Military Working Dog Teams).

The Spanish anti-air support is part of the French Air Force’s chain of command and control, established within the air defence system to ensure the air protection for the Olympic Games, and deploys in the region of Marseille.

In total, there are 36 military soldiers from the 73rd Anti-air Artillery Regiment (Cartagena), together with other 6 troops from transmission units of Madrid and Seville. All the units belong to the Anti-aircraft Artillery Command of the Army.

Regarding the equipment, the UDAA has a NASAMS Fire Distribution Centre, an AN/MPQ-64M1 Sentinel radar, which provides 360-degree surveillance, target tracking and identification, and a ‘Algeciras’ communication station, which facilitates integration in the French air defence system.

The Spanish Military Working Dog Unit is integrated in the 132nd French Military Working Dog Infantry Regiment, from which all the explosives detection activities in the Paris area are coordinated. They accomplish their duties in the locality of San Germain-en-Laye (30 km away from Paris), and form part of the multinational force of the Military Working Dog Teams, in which the Netherlands, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Italy, United Kingdom, Lithuania and Belgium also participate.

This unit consists of five Military Working Dog teams – 5 military guides and 6 dogs-, from the Navy (North Tercio of the Marine Infantry in Ferrol, the Madrid Marine Infantry Group and the Tercio of Levante of the Levante Marine Infantry), from the Air and Space Force (Air Deployment Support Squadron of Zaragoza) and the Army (X Parachute Battalion of the Guzmán el Bueno X Brigade of Cordoba).

Its main mission is to provide support to the Military Working Dog Units of the French Army in the detection of explosives in sport facilities, buildings, large areas, as well as in vehicles and boats, all in collaboration with the French National Police, the Gendarmerie and the French Explosive Ordnance Disposal Units.