InfoDefensa informs that the The Air Force will strengthen its 10 contingency air bases as part of a strategy aimed at ensuring the operational continuity of the Spanish Air Force in crisis situations. The plan is part of the lines of action of the Ministry of Defense, responsible for the network of military infrastructures distributed throughout the country, as reflected in the institutional information available at the Ministry of Defense of Spain.
Spain has several main air bases which concentrate a good part of the operational and strategic capacity of the Air and Space Force. However, international experience and evolving security scenarios have led to the strengthening of a second level of facilities ready to assume a decisive role if the main ones were compromised.
What are contingency air bases and why are they essential?
So-called contingency air bases, also called deployment bases, are infrastructures which are not part of the permanent operational core, but which can be activated quickly to accommodate aircraft, personnel and assets in exceptional situations.
The Air Force currently has ten of these bases, strategically distributed to cover the entire national territory. Its main function is to enable the dispersal of the Air Force, reducing vulnerability to threats affecting main bases.
A map that covers all of Spain
The contingency air bases that will be reinforced are located at key points:
- Santiago de Compostela
- Lion
- Matacan, in Salamanca
- Valladolid
- Armilla, in Granada
- Malaga
- Talavera la Real
- Son San Joan, in Palma de Mallorca
- Tenerife
- Lanzarote
This distribution makes it possible to cover both the peninsula and the archipelagos, ensuring response capacity in all geographical axes considered strategic.
The reinforcement planned by the Air Force
Although these bases are not certified as NATO installations, the reinforcement plan aims to ensure that they can be used by any Air Force and Space Force aircraft. The goal is for them to be fully operational when needed, without depending on the main bases.
The reinforcement focuses on two fundamental pillars: command and control systems and the storage capacity of weapons and ammunition.
Command, control and communications improvements
One of the key aspects of the plan is the modernization of command and control systems. These improvements will allow contingency bases to be effectively integrated into the operational structure of the Air Force, ensuring secure communications and immediate coordination with the rest of the units.
In a crisis scenario, the speed of decision-making and the reliability of communications are decisive. Technological strengthening is therefore considered a strategic priority.
Own arsenals and environmental control
Another central element of the plan is the supply of weapons and ammunition to each of these bases. The Air Force intends to have its own arsenals allowing it to operate autonomously if necessary.
An example of this process is the arsenal being built at the Son San Joan base in Palma de Mallorca. This facility will replace an older armory located outside the base perimeter, enhancing security and operability.
In the rest of the bases, existing arsenals are being sensitized to monitor in real time the temperature and humidity conditions in which weapons and missiles are stored. This control is essential to guarantee the safety and reliability of the equipment.
The strategic logic of dispersion
The decision to reinforce these installations responds to a doctrine widely accepted in the military field: the dispersion of resources as a protection measure. Concentrating all assets on a few bases increases the risk from conventional or hybrid threats.
With fully operational contingency bases, the Air Force can redeploy its aircraft and personnel, thereby maintaining its response capability even if certain key infrastructure were affected.
A crisis scenario as a reference
The Air Force itself considers these bases as reception points for the Spanish Air Force in the event of a crisis. This is not an abstract hypothesis, but rather concrete planning based on risk analysis and the evolution of the international context.
Preparing these facilities in advance reduces reaction times and allows for an orderly transition to alternative deployment when the situation requires it.
A quiet change with long-term impact
The strengthening of contingency air bases does not usually make headlines, but it represents a structural change in the way Spain designs its air defense. Investments in infrastructure, technology and security strengthen the resilience of the system as a whole.
In the medium and long term, these bases will move from the status of secondary installations to essential parts of the national defensive apparatus.
In this context, the The Air Force will strengthen its 10 contingency air bases as a preventive measure to ensure that, in all cases, Spanish air capacity remains operational, flexible and safe.
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