Ajay Kumar: Created a new article

2023-09-30T09:42:03Z

Created a new article

New page

{{short description|Combined military forces of the Kingdom of Spain}}
{{Infobox national military
| name = Spanish Armed Forces
| native_name = {{lang|es|Fuerzas Armadas de España}}
| image = Emblem of the Spanish Armed Forces.svg
| alt =
| caption = Badge of the Spanish Armed Forces
| image2 =
| alt2 =
| caption2 =
| motto =
| founded = 15th century
| current_form = 1978
| disbanded =
| branches = {{tree list}}
*[[File:Emblem of the Spanish Army.svg|25px]] [[Spanish Army]]
**[[File:Emblem of the Spanish Legion.svg|25px]] [[Spanish Legion]]
*[[File:Emblem of the Spanish Navy.svg|25px]] [[Spanish Navy]]
**[[File:Emblem of the Spanish Navy Marines.svg|25px]] [[Spanish Marine Infantry]]
*[[File:Emblem of the Spanish Air Force.svg|25px]] [[Spanish Air and Space Force]]
*[[File:Emblem of the Spanish Royal Guard.svg|25px]] [[Spanish Royal Guard|Royal Guard]]
*[[File:Coat of Arms of the UME.svg|25px]] [[Military Emergencies Unit]]
*[[Common Corps of the Spanish Armed Forces|Common Corps]]
{{tree list/end}}
| headquarters = [[Madrid]], [[Spain]]
| website = 

| commander-in-chief = {{flagicon image|Estandarte Real de España.svg}} [[Felipe VI of Spain|Felipe VI]]
| commander-in-chief_title = [[Monarchy of Spain|Monarch]]
| chief minister = {{flagicon image|Spanish Presidential Flag.svg}} [[Pedro Sánchez (politician)|Pedro Sánchez]]
| chief minister_title = [[Prime Minister of Spain|Prime Minister]]
| minister = {{flagicon image|Spanish Presidential Flag.svg}} [[Margarita Robles]]
| minister_title = [[List of Ministers of Defence (Spain)|Minister of Defence]]
| commander = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Chief of the Defence Staff (Spain).svg}} {{nowrap|[[Admiral General (Spain)|Admiral General]] [[Teodoro Esteban López Calderón]]}}
| commander_title = [[Chief of the Defence Staff (Spain)|Chief of the Defence Staff]]

| age = 18
| conscription = No
| manpower_data =
| manpower_age =
| available =
| available_f =
| fit =
| fit_f =
| reaching =
| reaching_f =
| active = 133,282 (2021)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Real Decreto 177/2021, de 23 de marzo, por el que se modifica el Reglamento de retribuciones del personal de las Fuerzas Armadas, aprobado por el Real Decreto 1314/2005, de 4 de noviembre.|url=https://boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2021-4571|access-date=2021-03-24|website=boe.es}}</ref> 78,469 [[Civil Guard (Spain)|Civil Guards]] (only in wartime) (2020)<ref>{{Cite web|last=López-Fonseca|first=Óscar|date=2020-03-07|title=Interior aumenta en 3.800 el número de policías y guardias civiles en dos años|url=https://elpais.com/espana/2020-03-07/interior-aumenta-en-3800-el-numero-de-policias-y-guardias-civiles-en-dos-anos.html|access-date=2021-01-06|website=EL PAÍS|language=es}}</ref>
| ranked =
| reserve = 15,150 (2019){{sfn|IISS|2020|p=145}}
| deployed =

| amount = €18.6 billion {{small|(2022)}} (US$ 20.3 billion)<ref name="SIPRI-2022">{{cite web |date=April 2023 |title=Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2022 |url=https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2023-04/2304_fs_milex_2022.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230622081913/https://www.sipri.org/publications/2023/sipri-fact-sheets/trends-world-military-expenditure-2022 |archive-date=22 June 2023 |access-date=7 July 2023 |publisher=[[Stockholm International Peace Research Institute]]}}</ref>
| percent_GDP = 1.5% (2022)<ref name="SIPRI-2022"/>

| domestic_suppliers = [[Airbus]] [[Santa Bárbara Sistemas|Santa Bárbara]] [[Navantia]] [[Indra Sistemas|Indra]] [[Gamesa Corporación Tecnológica|Gamesa]] [[Abengoa]] [[Instalaza]] [[UROVESA]]
| foreign_suppliers = {{FRA}} {{GER}} {{ITA}} {{UK}} {{USA}}
| imports =
| exports = [[€]]4.174 billion<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web |url=http://www.defensa.gob.es/Galerias/areasTematicas/investigacionDesarrollo/fichero/Informe-Industria-Defensa-2012.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-02-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217021010/http://www.defensa.gob.es/Galerias/areasTematicas/investigacionDesarrollo/fichero/Informe-Industria-Defensa-2012.pdf |archive-date=2015-02-17 |language=es}}</ref> (2010)

| history = [[Military history of Spain]]
| ranks = [[Military ranks of Spain]]
}}

The '''Spanish Armed Forces''' are in charge of guaranteeing the sovereignty and independence of the [[Spain|Kingdom of Spain]], defending its territorial integrity and the constitutional order, according to the functions entrusted to them by the [[Spanish Constitution of 1978|Constitution of 1978]]. They are composed of: the [[Spanish Army|Army]], the [[Spanish Air and Space Force|Air and Space Force]], the [[Spanish Navy|Navy]], the [[Spanish Royal Guard|Royal Guard]], and the [[Military Emergencies Unit]], as well as the so-called [[Common Corps of the Spanish Armed Forces|Common Corps]].

Spain is one of the most militarily powerful nations of the European Union ([[Military operations of the European Union|EUFOR]]) and [[Eurocorps]]. It also occupies a prominent position in the structure of [[NATO]], which it joined in 1982. It also has the oldest [[Spanish Marine Infantry|Marine Infantry]] in the world and the oldest permanent military units in the world: the ''[[Infantry Regiment "Inmemorial del Rey" No. 1]]'' and the ''[[Infantry Regiment "Soria" No. 9]]''.

==History==
{{main|Military history of Spain}}

After the long [[Reconquista]] ending in 1492, Spain evolved into Europe's foremost power with the voyages of [[Christopher Columbus]] the same year, leading to Spain acquiring vast lands in the Americas and conquering a number of overseas civilizations in the decades to come. The period of reconquest of Iberia had ended, and now Spain entered an era of overseas conquest spearheaded by [[conquistadors]]. The [[conquest of the Aztec Empire]], the [[conquest of the Inca Empire]] and the conquest of the [[Philippines]] ensued propelling Spain to the foremost military superpower of the time. Spain was also victorious over the French in the [[Italian Wars]], annexing southern Italy. During the reign of Charles V and Philip II, Spain reached the peak of its power with the [[Spanish Empire]] spanning 19.4 million square km of the earth's surface, a total of 13% being the first empire which the sun never sets. By the mid 17th century Spain had been militarily weakened by the [[Thirty Years War]], the [[Eighty Years War]] along with financial problems, and the lack of reforms, though still holding firm to the bulk of the [[American Continent]].

During the 18th century the new [[Bourbon dynasty]] revived Spain's economic and military power through a series of important reforms in the armed forces and the economy, notably those of Charles III of Spain. Thanks to these reforms, Spain performed well during the war of [[War of Jenkins' Ear|Jenkins' Ear]] defending overseas territory, won the war of [[War of the Austrian Succession|Austrian Succession]] but had mixed result during the Seven Years' War. Spain had also led successful campaigns in the [[American Revolutionary War]]. Spain had recovered considerably by the outbreak of the French Revolution, by 1790, the [[Spanish Empire]] was the largest empire in the world. The occupation of a great part of Spain by the French during the [[Napoleonic Wars]] resulted in [[Peninsular War]], which was characterized by use on a large scale of guerrilla troops, made necessary by the war's devastating effect on the Spanish economy. Although victorious in the Peninsular War over Napoleonic France, the Spanish military was in poor condition and political instability resulted in the loss of most of Spain's former colonies, who had rebelled against Spanish rule in the [[Spanish-American War for Independence]], except Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. These too would be lost later in the [[Spanish–American War]].

In the 20th century, the Spanish armed forces did not intervene in the [[First World War]] ([[Spain during World War I|neutrality]]) or in the [[Second World War]] ([[Spain during World War II|no active belligerence]]), although they did intervene in the [[Spanish Civil War]] and in some colonial conflicts. After the arrival of democracy in 1978, they underwent a strong modernization process, becoming modern armed forces. In 1982 Spain entered [[NATO]].

Recently, in the last decades of the 20th century and the first decades of the 21st, Spanish troops have participated together with their Western allies in operations such as [[Gulf War]], [[NATO bombing of Yugoslavia]], [[Kosovo Force|KFOR]], [[War on terror]], [[2011 military intervention in Libya]], [[Combined Task Force 150]] or [[UNIFIL]], to name a few examples.

===Today===
{{Clarify timeframe|date=January 2023}}
Spain participated along with France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Denmark, the United States and Canada in the [[2011 military intervention in Libya|2011 intervention]] against [[Muammar Gaddafi]] in Libya, contributing a [[aerial refueling|tanker]], 4 [[McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet|F/A-18 Hornet]] fighter jets, a [[frigate]], a [[submarine]] and a [[surveillance aircraft]], along with logistical support from the [[Naval Station Rota]] and the [[Morón Air Base]].

Spain has belonged to [[NATO]] since 1982. The decision was ratified in the [[1986 Spanish NATO membership referendum|1986 referendum]] by the Spanish people. The conditions were the reduction of American military bases, non-integration of Spain in the military structure of NATO, and the prohibition of introducing [[nuclear weapon]]s in Spain.

====Current missions====
As of June 2017, 3,093 soldiers of the Spanish Armed Forces and the [[Civil Guard (Spain)|Civil Guard]] are part of the nineteen operations where Spain has an active role.<ref name="missions2017">{{cite news|title=Fuerzas Armadas españolas en misiones internacionales, Junio 2017|url=http://www.dsn.gob.es/es/actualidad/infografias/fuerzas-armadas-espa%C3%B1olas-misiones-internacionales-junio-2017#sthash.2M7BLKBb.uxfs|access-date=June 19, 2017|date=2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170617211233/http://www.dsn.gob.es/es/actualidad/infografias/fuerzas-armadas-espa%C3%B1olas-misiones-internacionales-junio-2017#sthash.2M7BLKBb.uxfs|archive-date=June 17, 2017|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

According to the National Security Department of Spain (DSN), these are the current missions of the armed forces and civil guard:
<ref name="missions2017"/>

*'''Missions with the European Union'''
**[[EUTM Mali]] (2013–present): Advisory mission in the security and training sector of the Malian National Army. 130 deployed military personnel.
**[[Central African Republic|EUTM CAR]] (2016–present): Training mission of the Armed Forces of the Government of the Central African Republic. The [[Eurocorps]] is in charge of carrying out this mission. 19 military deployed.
**[[EUTM Somalia|EUTM SOMALIA]] (2010–present): Training mission of the Somali Armed Forces, with the cooperation of the [[UN]] and the [[African Union]]. 16 military deployed.
**[[Operation Atalanta]] (2008–present): Mission to combat [[piracy]] in the [[Indian Ocean]] as well as protection of the UN food program. 338 deployed military.
**[[EUFOR Althea|EUFOR ALTHEA BOSNIA]] (2004–present): Advisory mission to the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 3 military deployed.
** [[EU Navfor Med|EUNAVFOR MED-SOPHIA]] (2015–present): Mission to combat [[trafficking]] in human beings and prevention of loss of life in the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]]. 261 deployed military personnel.
*'''Missions with NATO'''
** [[Operation Sea Guardian]] (2016–present): Mission to fight against terrorism in the Mediterranean. 119 military deployed.
** [[SNMG1]] / [[SNMG2]] / [[SNMCMG2]]: NATO first-responder permanent naval units. 251 deployed military personnel.
** [[Baltic Air Policing]] (2004–present): Mission to protect the [[airspace]] of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. 128 deployed military personnel.
** [[NATO Enhanced Forward Presence|Enhanced Forward Presence]] (2017–present): Mission of presence of NATO in the [[Baltic region|Baltic Sea region]] following the annexation of [[Crimea]] by Russia. 310 military deployed.
**[[Operation Active Fence]] (2015–present): Mission to reinforce Turkey's air defense against the threat of ballistic missiles from Syria. 149 deployed military personnel.
* '''Missions with UN'''
** [[UNIFIL]] (2006–present): Peacekeeping Monitoring Mission between Lebanon and Israel. 620 soldiers and civil guards deployed.
** UN COLOMBIA (2016–present): Mission of observers of the [[Colombian peace process|peace process in Colombia]]. 14 deployed military personnel.
*'''Coalition against Daesh'''
** [[Inherent Resolve|INHERENT RESOLVE]] (2015–present): Training mission of Iraqi forces to fight the [[Daesh]]. 463 soldiers and civil guards deployed.
*'''Security cooperation with France'''
**Support for Mali-Senegal (2013–present): Military support to France to facilitate air transport of French and EU operations in Mali and [[Sahel]]. 61 military deployed.
**Support for the Central African Republic (2013–present): Military support for France and the EU to facilitate air transport in its operations. 45 military deployed.
* '''National missions of cooperation with Senegal and Cape Verde'''
** [[Senegal|Support for Senegal]] (2016–present): Cooperative security activities with other countries. 34 deployed military personnel.
** [[Cape Verde|Support for Cape Verde]] (2016–present): Cooperative security activities with other countries. 59 deployed military personnel.

The Spanish Armed Forces also participated in the last few years in other missions, above all humanitarian and observation: in Albania in 1999, Mozambique in 2000, Republic of Macedonia in 2001, Haiti in 2004 and Indonesia in 2005. In 2006, Spain participated in [[Darfur]], Sudan
by sending observers, and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Spain also participated in the Iraq War between 2003 and 2004, in Gabon and in Senegal to safeguard maritime traffic in the Horn of Africa (with 33 Civil Guards and national police officers, two patrol vessels and a helicopter).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.defensa.gob.es/areasTematicas/misiones/enCurso/ |title=Misiones en curso |date=April 9, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414001833/http://www.defensa.gob.es/areasTematicas/misiones/enCurso/ |archive-date=April 14, 2015 }}</ref> In 2015, 46 [[Military Emergencies Unit|UME]] soldiers and 12 Civil Guards of the High Mountain Group went to help and rescue in the [[April 2015 Nepal earthquake|Nepal earthquake]], along with six dogs, three scientific police and a [[Boeing 707]] of supplies transport of the [[Spanish Air and Space Force|Air and Space Force]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.es/videos-espana/20150502/medio-centenar-militares-espanoles-4211677670001.html|title=Medio centenar de militares españoles parten desde Jaca rumbo a Nepal|date=May 5, 2015|access-date=June 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028145842/http://www.abc.es/videos-espana/20150502/medio-centenar-militares-espanoles-4211677670001.html|archive-date=October 28, 2017|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elcomercio.es/videos/politica/201505/02/medio-centenar-militares-espanoles-4211677660001-mm.html|title=Medio centenar de militares españoles parten desde Jaca rumbo a Nepal|date=May 5, 2015|access-date=June 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028145926/http://www.elcomercio.es/videos/politica/201505/02/medio-centenar-militares-espanoles-4211677660001-mm.html|archive-date=October 28, 2017|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

The cost of these missions abroad amounts to approximately 800 million euros per year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-espana-gasto-2016-mas-770-millones-euros-misiones-fuerzas-armadas-20161220192750.html|title=España gastó en 2016 más de 770 millones de euros en las misiones de las Fuerzas Armadas|agency=Europa Press|date=20 December 2016|access-date=19 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170608054540/http://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-espana-gasto-2016-mas-770-millones-euros-misiones-fuerzas-armadas-20161220192750.html|archive-date=8 June 2017|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Command structure==
{{multiple image
|align = right
|total_width = 300
|image1 = 2019-05-30 Felipe VI Karlspreis 2019-5882 (cropped).jpg
|caption1 = King [[Felipe VI of Spain|Felipe VI]]
|image2 = Pedro Sánchez 2021c (cropped).jpg
|caption2 = [[Prime Minister of Spain|PM]] [[Pedro Sánchez (politician)|Pedro Sánchez]]
}}

The [[Commander-in-chief#Spain|commander in chief]] of the Armed Forces is the [[King of Spain]]; with the ''[[ex officio]]'' rank of ''[[Captain general#Spain|Capitán General]]'' in the Army, Navy and Air and Space Force. The [[Spanish Constitution of 1978]] states in article 62(h) that the King of Spain shall have "supreme command of the Armed Forces"; however under article 64, all official acts of the King must be [[countersignature|countersigned]] by the President of the Government (or other competent minister) to become valid.

The [[President of the Government (Spain)|President of the Government]] (also known as ''Prime Minister'' in English translations), as the [[head of government]], is responsible under article 97 for "domestic and foreign policy, civil and military administration and the defense of the State", and thus bears the ultimate responsibility before the [[Cortes Generales]], and the Spanish electorate.

The Minister of defense is in charge of running the [[Ministry of Defence (Spain)|Ministry of defense]], which carries out the day-to-day administration of the forces. The President of the Government and the Minister of defense are [[Civilian control of the military|civilians]]. No provision in the Constitution requires the Government to seek approval from the Cortes Generales before sending the armed forces abroad.

The [[Chief of the Defence Staff (Spain)|Chief of the Defense Staff]] directs the [[Defence Staff (Spain)|Defense Staff]] and is the senior military advisor to the Minister and the Government. The military leadership of the three military services are: the [[Chief of Staff of the Army (Spain)|Chief of Staff of the Army]], the [[Chief of Staff of the Air Force (Spain)|Chief of Staff of the Air and Space Force]] and the [[Chief of Staff of the Navy (Spain)|Chief of Staff of the Navy]].

The structure, and incumbents {{As of|2021|lc=y}}, are:

# [[File:Coat of Arms of Spanish Monarch.svg|20px]] [[Commander in chief|Commander in Chief]]: [[Capitán General]] of the Armed Forces the [[King of Spain]], [[Felipe VI]].
# [[File:Escudo de España (mazonado).svg|20px]] [[President of the Government (Spain)|President of the Government]]: The President [[Pedro Sánchez (politician)|Pedro Sánchez]].
# [[File:Escudo de España (mazonado).svg|20px]] [[List of Ministers of Defence (Spain)|Minister of Defence]]: [[Margarita Robles]].
# [[File:Coat of Arms of the Spanish Defence Staff-EMAD.svg|20px]] [[Chief of the Defence Staff (Spain)|Chief of the defense Staff]]: [[Admiral general (Spain)|Admiral General]] [[Teodoro E. López Calderón]].
# The Chiefs of Staff of the branches:
#: [[File:Coat of Arms of the General Staff of the Spanish Army.svg|20px]] [[Chief of Staff of the Army (Spain)|Chief of Staff of the Army]]: [[Army General]] [[Amador Fernando Enseñat y Berea]].
#: [[File:Emblem of the Military staff of the Spanish Navy.svg|20px]] [[Chief of Staff of the Navy (Spain)|Chief of Staff of the Navy]]: [[Admiral general (Spain)|Admiral General]] [[Antonio Martorell Lacave]].
#: [[File:Emblem of the Military staff of the Spanish Air Force.svg|20px]] [[Chief of Staff of the Air Force (Spain)|Chief of Staff of the Air and Space Force]]: [[General officer|Air and Space General]] [[Javier Salto Martínez-Avial]].

==Branches==
The Spanish armed forces are a professional force with a strength in 2017 of 121,900 active personnel and 4,770 reserve personnel. The country also has the 77,000 strong [[Civil Guard (Spain)|Civil Guard]] which comes under the control of the Ministry of defense in times of a national emergency. The Spanish defense budget is 5.71 billion euros (US$7.2 billion) a 1% increase for 2015. The increase comes because of security concerns in the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.janes.com/article/43968/update-spain-to-increase-defence-spending|title=Update: Spain to increase defence spending|work=janes.com|access-date=8 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518073610/http://www.janes.com/article/43968/update-spain-to-increase-defence-spending|archive-date=18 May 2015|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

===Army===
* [[:es:Anexo:Materiales del Ejército de Tierra de España|Annex: Materials of the Spanish Army]] (Spanish wiki)
The [[Spanish Army]] consists of 15 active brigades and 6 military regions. Modern infantry have diverse capabilities and this is reflected in the varied roles assigned to them. There are four operational roles that infantry battalions can fulfil: air assault, armoured infantry, mechanised infantry, and light role infantry.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="140" caption="Ejército de Tierra de España (Spanish Army)">
File:Trident Juncture 2018 181103-N-FO714-221.jpg|[[Leopard 2E]] ([[main battle tank|MBT]])
File:2 spanish army M109.jpg|[[M109 howitzer|M-109A5E]]
File:Eurocopter EC 655 Tigre (cropped).jpg|[[Eurocopter Tiger]]</gallery>

===Navy===
{{Main|List of active Spanish Navy ships}}

Under the command of the [[Chief of Staff of the Navy (Spain)|Spanish Admiral Chief of Naval Staff]], stationed in [[Madrid]], the [[Spanish Navy]] has four area commands:
* Cantabrian Maritime Zone with its headquarters at [[Ferrol, Galicia|Ferrol]] on the Atlantic coast
* Straits Maritime Zone with its headquarters at [[San Fernando, Cádiz|San Fernando]] near Cadiz
* Mediterranean Maritime Zone with its headquarters at [[Cartagena, Spain|Cartagena]]
* [[Canary Islands]] Maritime Zone with its headquarters at [[Las Palmas de Gran Canaria]].

The current flagship of the Spanish Navy is the [[amphibious assault ship]]/aircraft carrier {{ship|Spanish ship|Juan Carlos I||2}}. In addition, the fleet consists of: 2 [[amphibious transport dock]]s, 11 [[frigate]]s, 3 [[submarine]]s, 6 mine countermeasure vessels, 23 patrol vessels and a number of auxiliary ships. The total displacement of the Spanish Navy is approximately 220,000 tonnes. As of 2012, the Armada has a strength of 20,838 personnel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.defensa.gob.es/Galerias/presupuestos/presupuesto-defensa-2012.pdf|format=PDF|title=Military Budget 2012|page=454|website=defensa.gov.es|language=es|access-date=2013-02-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130125221512/http://www.defensa.gob.es/Galerias/presupuestos/presupuesto-defensa-2012.pdf|archive-date=2013-01-25|url-status=live}}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" heights="140" caption="Armada Española (Spanish Navy)">
File:Manoeuvring exercise 11 (22811737931).jpg|[[Amphibious assault ship]]-[[aircraft carrier]] {{ship|Spanish ship|Juan Carlos I||2}}
File:Armada Española F105 Cristóbal Colón.jpg|{{sclass|Álvaro de Bazán|frigate|1}} {{ship|Spanish frigate|Cristóbal Colón||2}}
File:Submarine (S 71)-Galerna-01.jpg|{{sclass|Agosta|submarine|1}} [[Spanish submarine Galerna|''Galerna'']]
</gallery>

====Marines====
[[File:AAV-7 en Santander2.JPG|thumb|[[Spanish Marine Infantry]] deploying from an [[Assault Amphibious Vehicle|AAV-7]] during an exhibition.]]
{{Main|Spanish Marine Infantry}}

The Marines, in Spanish, ''Infanteria de Marina'', are the marine infantry of the Spanish Navy, the oldest in the world. It has a strength of 5,000 troops divided into base defense forces and landing forces. One of the three base defense battalions is stationed with each of the Navy headquarters. "Groups" (midway between battalions and regiments) are stationed in Madrid and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The Tercio (fleet — regiment equivalent) is available for immediate embarkation and based out of San Fernando. Its principal weapons include light tanks, armored combat vehicles, self-propelled artillery, and SPIKE antitank missiles.

===Air and Space Force===
{{Main|Spanish Air and Space Force#Current inventory}}

[[Spanish Air and Space Force]] currently has 10 fighter squadrons, each with 18-24 airplanes. The Air and Space Force also has 15 operational air bases around the country. The Air and Space Force operates a wide-ranging fleet of aircraft, from fighters to transport aircraft and passenger transports to helicopters. It maintains some 450 aircraft in total, of which around 130 are fighter aircraft (Eurofighter Typhoons and F-18 MLU). The Spanish Air and Space Force is replacing older aircraft in the inventory with newer ones including the recently introduced Eurofighter Typhoon and the Airbus A400M Atlas airlifter. Both are manufactured with Spanish participation; EADS CASA makes the Eurofighter's right wing and leading edge slats, and participates in the testing and assembly of the airlifter.<ref>http://www.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/press-release/detail/first-a400m-wings-delivered-to-final-assembly-line/news-browse/1/news-period/1175378400/2591999/archived/news-category/press_release/?tx_felogin_pi1%5Bforgot%5D=1{{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Its aerobatic display team is the Patrulla Aguila, which flies the CASA C-101 Aviojet.Its helicopter display team, Patrulla Aspa, flies the Eurocopter EC-120 Colibrí. In July 2014 the Spanish Air Force joined the European Air Transport Command, headquartered at Eindhoven Airbase in the Netherlands.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eatc-mil.com/45/Articles/News%20&%20Press%20updates/265/Spain+is+now+member+of+the+EATC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707095201/http://eatc-mil.com/45/Articles/News%20%26%20Press%20updates/265/Spain+is+now+member+of+the+EATC|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 July 2014|title=Spain is now member of the EATC - Articles - EATC  -  European Air Transport Command|work=eatc-mil.com|access-date=8 May 2015}}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" heights="140" caption="Ejército del Aire y del Espacio (Spanish Air and Space Force)">
File:Typhoon - RIAT 2006 (altered).jpg| [[Eurofighter Typhoon]]
File:Spanish Air Force EF-18 DD-SD-00-02833 cropped.jpg|[[McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet#Spain|EF-18]]
File:Fuerza Aérea Española (Spanish Air Force) Airbus A400M-180 (T.23-01).jpg|[[Airbus A400M Atlas|A400M]]
</gallery>

=== Common Corps ===
{{Main|Common Corps of the Spanish Armed Forces}}The Common Corps are four corps that provide professional services to all the branches of the Armed Forces and the Civil Guard. The Common Corps were created in the 1980s to unify the specialist corps of the different branches for operational reasons. The Common Corps are:
* Military Legal Corps
* [[Office of the Comptroller General of the Defence|Military Comptroller Corps]]
* Military Medical Corps
* Military Band Corps

===Royal Guard===
{{Main|Spanish Royal Guard}}
[[File:Guardias reales en 2001.jpg|thumb|right|[[Spanish Royal Guard]] change at the ''[[Palacio Real]]''.]]

The ''Royal Guard'' (''Guardia Real'') is an independent unit of the Spanish Armed Forces whose primary task is the military protection of the King of Spain and the [[Spanish royal family]]. It also protects visiting Heads of State.

The Royal Guard's history dates back to [[Middle Ages|medieval times]], the Corps of Gentlemen of the Chamber, the "[[Monteros de Espinosa]]", dating to 1006.

It currently has a strength of 1,900 troops, constituting a fully functional combat unit drawn from the ranks of all three branches of the Spanish Armed Forces: among others, a Marines company, a Paratroop company and an infantry company. Some units have served recently in Afghanistan and Bosnia.

===Military Emergencies Unit===
{{Main|Military Emergencies Unit}}

The ''Military Emergencies Unit'' ({{lang-es|Unidad Militar de Emergencias}}), is the most recently instituted branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, resulting from a decision of the [[Council of Ministers of Spain]] in 2005.

In addition to headquarters staff ({{lang|es|Unidad de Cuartel General}}, there are five emergency intervention battalions ({{Lang|es|Batallon de Intervención en Emergencias}}, BIEM), a support regiment ({{lang|es|Regimiento de Apoyo a Emergencias}}) and an aerial group ({{lang|es|Agrupación de Medios Aéreos}}).

It is responsible for providing disaster relief principally throughout Spain but also if necessary abroad. The activities including handling natural hazards such as floods and earthquakes, forest fires, chemical and nuclear accidents, and other emergency situations recognized as such by the Prime Minister of Spain.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="140" caption="Unidad Militar de Emergencias (Military Emergencies Unit)">
File:URO M3-24.14 UME.JPG|[[UROVESA|URO]] M3-24.14.
File:Canadair CL-215T in Spanish service 4316.jpg|[[Canadair CL-215|Canadair CL-215T]]
File:Lancha UME.jpg|[[Inflatable boat]] Zodiac Mark IV
</gallery>

==Citations==
{{reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|30em}}
* {{cite book |last=IISS |title=The Military Balance 2020|year=2020 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0367466398}}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
* [[Jane's Defence Weekly|Jane's defense Weekly]], Country Survey: Spain, JDW 18 April 1992, p. 655-onwards

==External links==
* {{in lang|es}} [http://www.militar.org.ua/foro/ Foro Militar General - Spanish Military forum]

{{Spain topics}}
{{FFAA España}}
{{Military of Europe}}
{{Militaries of European Union member states}}
{{North Atlantic Treaty Organization}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Military of Spain|Military of Spain]]
[[Category:Permanent Structured Cooperation]]

Spanish Armed Forces - Revision history

GordonCoulston: Page updated with relevant improvements

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article