Lanzarote is getting ready to house the secondary base of the Air Force's four latest-generation Predator B drones in the coming months, which will be tasked with monitoring the Sahel and Maghreb areas (Mauritania, Senegal, Mali and Morocco), given the strategic position of the Islands in these areas.
The Spanish Armed Forces have other RPAS (Raven or Wasp), but what makes these aircraft-drones different is their ability to operate via satellite, and they can be used in strategic monitoring in areas of intelligence, maritime surveillance and security and defense interest, as well as in air operations. This support includes, for example, the observation of situations such as humanitarian crises, border surveillance and control, immigration, fire prevention and the fight against terrorism and organized crime.
The military airport of Guacimeta, in Lanzarote, is being adapted to accommodate the Predator B and the works are advanced. The antenna towers for take-off and landing are already built as well as the pipelines that allow the safe operation of the system are being completed.
The aerodrome will receive two of the three control units, in case one fails, and the two antennas for the launch and recovery of the system. The main base of these drones is located in Talavera la Real (Badajoz), which will keep a control cabin and a satellite antenna. The pilots will take off the drone from Lanzarote with the support of the antennas at the foot of the runway and then transfer the flight to other pilots who are in Talavera, who will operate the aircraft through the satellite link.