The Air Surveillance Squadron (EVA) number 22, in Lanzarote, hosted this Friday the handover ceremony of the latest generation 'Lanza' LRR radar, during an event presided over by the Chief of Staff of the Air and Space Army, Air General Francisco Braco Carbó, and which was attended by
prominent civil and military authorities, including the Government delegate in the Canary Islands, the mayor of Haría, the chief general of the Canary Islands Air Command, and the first vice-president of the Lanzarote Island Council. Members of INDRA also attended, highlighting the technological and industrial effort behind this advanced radar system.
This new 'Lanza' LRR device - an acronym for long-range radar - is entirely manufactured by the Spanish company INDRA. Its incorporation represents a great leap in quality for EVA 22, a unit located at the Peñas del Chache Air Base in Haría, whose main mission is the surveillance and defense of the airspace in the Canary Islands, providing support to military and civil air traffic.
The head of Air Surveillance Squadron 22, Commander Tanausú David Guglieri Paadín, took the floor to give a historical overview of the unit's evolution and highlighted that "We have been working tirelessly for 5 decades, serving as a national benchmark in air surveillance and control. The incorporation of the new radar marks a new milestone in this unit's trajectory today, and multiplies our capacity to guarantee the integrity and security of Spanish airspace".
The chief general of the Air and Space Army's Air and Space Surveillance and Control System, Eliseo Pérez Gómez, also spoke, stating that "this act is more than putting a sensor into operation. It is reinforcing a commitment to operational excellence, to the improvement of the means that guarantee the sovereignty and security of all citizens." In his speech, he also wanted to emphasize that "The Canary Islands, due to their geostrategic position, represent a key point for surveillance, anticipation, and response capacity to current and future challenges."
The radar delivered today at the unit located in Peñas del Chache, in Haría, is of entirely national manufacture, placing the Spanish defense industry at the technological forefront among allied countries. The device entered service on November 4th, and during these weeks it has reached the highest levels of performance and operability by integrating into the Air Surveillance and Control System network. The nickname "Lanza" comes precisely because the program for the implementation of these latest-generation radars began on the island of Lanzarote.
Regarding the advancements compared to previous models, it can be noted that this latest-generation radar integrates the primary antenna, the secondary antenna, consolidates the various electronic systems, and also improves cooling and maintenance needs. It occupies less space, and its installation and commissioning are less complex.Finally, it should be noted that the new EVA 22 device is the second to be installed nationwide after the first 'Lanza' LRR radar, which was at Air Surveillance Squadron number 2, in Villatobas (Toledo), as part of a much broader program for the vast majority of air surveillance squadrons to incorporate this national technology and integrate into NATO's air and missile defense systems
