Sydney, Australia – July 24 (EFE) – The Spanish Air and Space Force is currently participating in multinational military exercises in Australia, showcasing their Eurofighter combat aircraft to demonstrate their deployment capabilities in the strategically important and tense Indo-Pacific region.
Known as Exercise Pitch Black 24, these tactical maneuvers are being led by the Royal Australian Air Force from July 12 to August 2 in northern Australia. The exercise involves over 4,430 military personnel and 140 aircraft from 20 countries, including Spain, Germany, the United States, Japan, and France.
This marks Spain’s first participation in such an exercise in Australia. They are contributing seven aircraft: four Eurofighters, two A400M tactical transport planes, and one A300 strategic transport plane. Additionally, 25 fighter pilots are part of this deployment, which includes a total of 240 personnel divided into two rotations of 120 each.
“Our presence in the Indo-Pacific demonstrates our ability to project power anywhere in the world,” said Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Bermejo Rosado from the Spanish Air and Space Force during a video conference from the Darwin base in northern Australia. He emphasized that the Spanish military is prepared to go wherever their country sends them.
The participation of Spanish, German, and French forces in these exercises aligns with the European defense initiative known as Pacific Skies. This initiative has already taken them to Canada, the United States, and Japan, with plans for future exercises in Malaysia, India, and the United Arab Emirates.
The Indo-Pacific region is becoming increasingly significant due to the rivalry between the United States and China, as well as tensions involving Taiwan, the South China Sea, and North Korea.
In northern Australia, Spanish pilots, alongside their international counterparts participating in Pitch Black, will conduct 34 flights, which include two daytime and one nighttime flight, each lasting three hours.
Spanish military aircraft are “flying well” as they are designed to handle “the most challenging missions” worldwide, according to Eduardo Tijeras, a technician from Airbus Defence and Space. Specifically, he noted that the A400M is well-suited for the geography of the Indo-Pacific, stating that “the aircraft has different configurations and is well adapted to this area of islands, with unpaved regions and short landing strips.”
The collaboration among Spanish, German, and French forces is notable, with Bermejo pointing out that pilots easily adapt to one another, only needing minor adjustments in equipment carried on the aircraft. This interoperability is further enhanced by their work within the European Union and NATO, both in terms of personnel maintaining the aircraft and managing spare parts.
Despite cultural and language differences with other military personnel, the Spanish forces have discovered commonalities that unite them. “We think the same way regarding operations; we organize missions similarly. With just a little coordination, we can achieve complex tasks,” Lieutenant Colonel Bermejo explained.
During the exercise, Spain will participate in air-to-ground attack simulations using mock weapons, as well as air-to-air control missions with simulated weaponry. The Spanish forces will also engage in integrating command and control networks with units from other participating nations.
(c) EFE Agency
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