Bilateral Training and Exercise Conference Held with the United States

• The Joint Defence Staff (EMACON) hosts BTEC 2025 to enhance interoperability and readiness between the US and Spanish Armed Forces

The Force Development Division (DIVDEF) of the Spanish Joint Staff (EMACON), together with the Permanent Spanish–US Committee, held the Bilateral Training and Exercise Conference (BTEC 2025) this week at the Spanish National Defence Advanced Studies Centre (CESEDEN).

This year’s BTEC gathered 83 representatives (28 Spanish and 55 from the US), and resulted in the coordination of 122 activities scheduled for 2026, including 18 new initiatives. In addition, the 109 activities agreed for this year—originally planned during BTEC 2024—were reviewed.

The proceedings of the conference will detail the agreed activities, which will later be incorporated into the various training programmes. At the joint level, several of these exercises will be included in the annual Exercise Planning Directive (DPE).

The conference, once again, served to reaffirm the excellent bilateral relations between the Spanish Armed Forces and those of the United States of America.

First established in 1952, the BTEC aims to identify and coordinate bilateral activities designed to enhance the interoperability and readiness of both nations’ armed forces.

To coordinate these activities, the BTEC is structured around eight working groups, covering the physical domains of operations and other areas of shared interest: land, maritime, air and space, special operations, military support in emergencies, medical support, legal affairs, and cyber operations. These working groups are composed of representatives from the headquarters and operational forces of both countries.