Starting next Monday, September 15, the Eagle Eye 25-03 operation will be activated in the Canary Islands, which integrates the capabilities of the Air and Space Force, the Army, and the Navy to guarantee national air defense. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense in a press release issued this Friday.
From September 15 to 18, this deployment led by the Air Operations Command and under the operational control of the Operations Command (MOPS) will take place in the archipelago.
On this occasion, the Eagle Eye activation will coincide with other operational activities carried out by the different Operational Commands, called Synergy 25, which will take place from September 15 to 21.
In this context, the different units of the Armed Forces that permanently carry out Presence, Surveillance, and Deterrence Operations will reinforce surveillance in areas of national interest, with the execution of operations synchronized and coordinated by the Operations Command.
The third edition of Eagle Eye
In this edition of Eagle Eye, the third of 2025, the Air and Space Force will participate with six F-18s from Wing 12, deployed at the Torrejón de Ardoz base in Madrid, with Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) missions, which are alert services that ensure the ability to be in the air in less than 15 minutes from the detection of an unidentified track.
To this end, Wing 12 will deploy up to 60 military personnel, including crews and maintenance and support personnel, at the Gando Air Base (Gran Canaria). "The entire unit faces the challenge of guaranteeing Spain's air security and defense with enthusiasm and ambition," said Commander Miguel Jiménez Barragán of Wing 12. In addition, he stressed that this is "without a doubt, a great opportunity for the integration of F18 fighters with other land and naval resources in the Canary Islands."
In addition, Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS LSS) assets will be integrated into this deployment with the participation of assets from the Air Deployment Support Squadron (EADA), the Army, the Navy, and the State Security Forces. Likewise, the Alert and Control Group (GRUALERCON), located at the Gando Air Base, will be responsible for monitoring the airspace with data provided by Air Surveillance Squadrons, as well as land and naval resources.
Control will be located in Torrejón de Ardoz
Finally, the Air Operations Center (AOC), located at the Torrejón de Ardoz Air Base, will exercise command and control during this activation; at the same time, it will be responsible for tactical control for surveillance, air policing, and defense operations of the national sovereignty airspace.
In the case of the Army, the Anti-Aircraft Defense Unit (UDAA) III-73 will deploy in the vicinity of the Gando Air Base and provide anti-aircraft defense, complementing the surveillance of the airspace. In this joint operation, the UDAA “Cancerbero” is generated on the basis of the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Command (MAAA) and led by the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group (GAAA) III/73 (Marines-Valencia). It is made up of HAWK, PATRIOT, MISTRAL and 35/90 cannon anti-aircraft weapon systems, and will be responsible for complementing the surveillance of the airspace through its sensors and protecting the entrusted areas with its land weapon systems against any air threat, all integrated into the Air Defense System (SDA).
A frigate prepared for air defense and submarine warfare
On the part of the Navy, the frigate F-105 Cristóbal Colón will sail through the Atlantic integrated into the air defense system, to which it will contribute significant additional surveillance and anti-aircraft defense capabilities. This ship is equipped with the latest generation technology and is prepared to carry out a wide variety of missions, from air defense to anti-submarine warfare.
As the commander of the Cristóbal Colón, frigate captain Gabriel Pita da Veiga Subirats, points out, "Eagle Eye is an opportunity to advance in interoperability with the rest of the FAS. In addition, these integrations allow us to increase mutual knowledge and trust to respond together to the most demanding situations."
'Synergy 25' and national defense
In addition to the Eagle Eye 25-03 activation, Synergy 25 will be an excellent opportunity to carry out other actions specific to the different Land, Maritime, Air, Cyberspace, and Space Operational Commands —MOT, MOM, MOA, MOC, and MOESPA, respectively—. In the land environment, units will be deployed in Ceuta, Melilla, the Canary Islands, and the Balearic Islands with surveillance and presence missions in areas of sovereignty and interest. For its part, the MOM —with the Joint Shield activation— will deploy the Maritime Action Vessel `Tornado´ in the Canary Islands and the Patrol Vessel `Centinela´ in the Strait of Gibraltar, as well as the Coastal Artillery Unit (UDACTA) in the Campo de Gibraltar area.
In this context of comprehensive defense, the MOC will dedicate itself to the surveillance of networks in its environment; while MOESPA will provide products related to GPS precision and the overflight of satellites for the benefit of the other operational commands and the MOPS.
Finally, the Ministry of Defense defends that "these activations of the Armed Forces reflect the fundamental values of the Armed Forces, teamwork, dedication, and spirit of service, but above all the unwavering commitment to the defense and security of Spain."
