Military of the Canary Islands explained

The Canary Islands are an autonomous community of Spain. The headquarters of the Canary Islands military command is located in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in the Palacio de la Capitanía General de Canarias. The following components of the Spanish Armed Forces are based in the Canary Islands:

Spanish Army

16th Light Infantry Brigade “Canarias” (Santa Cruz de Tenerife) composed of three light infantry regiments, one artillery regiement, an air defence regiment, an integral helicopter battalion and other supporting elements.^[1]

Subordinate units include:

• HQ Battalion
• 9th Light Infantry Rgt. “Soria” (Fuerteventura, Las Palmas)^[2]
• 49th Light Infantry Rgt. “Tenerife” (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife)^[3]
• 50th Light Infantry Rgt. “Canarias”^[4]
• 93rd Field Artillery Rgt. (155/52mm howitzers, 105/37mm light guns and Mistral short-range SAMs)^{[5] [6]} (San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife)
• 94th Air Defence Artillery Rgt. (NASAMS medium-range air defence missiles, Mistral short-range SAMs and 35/90 SKYDOR anti-aircraft guns)^[7]
• 15th Engineer Battalion (San Cristóbal de La Laguna)
• 82nd Military logistics|Logistics Group
• 6th Helicopter Battalion (AS332 Super Puma (3) and AB212 Twin Hueys (5))^[8] (San Cristóbal de La Laguna)
• Signals Company

Spanish Air and Space Force

Mando Aéreo de Canarias Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

The 46th Wing is to convert from the F-18 Hornet to the Tranche 4 Eurofighter Typhoon starting in 2026.^{[10] [11]}

Spanish Navy

Naval Command of the Canary Islands

There are seven local commands under the main Naval Command of the Canary Islands.

• Naval Command of Santa Cruz de Tenerife
• Naval Command of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
• Minor Naval Command of Santa Cruz de la Palma
• Minor Naval Command of Hierro
• Minor Naval Command of San Sebastián de la Gomera
• Minor Naval Command of Puerto del Rosario (Fuerteventura)
• Minor Naval Command of Arrecife de Lanzarote

Las Palmas Naval Base

The following vessels are assigned to Las Palmas Naval Base;

• s:^[12],,,

Marine Infantry

Units of the Marine Infantry are based in the Canary Islands. The Canarias Security Unit (USCAN) includes a security company and naval police company.^[13]

Civil Guard

Elements of the Civil Guard and the National Police are also deployed in the territory for purposes of both border and internal security. The Civil Guard includes a maritime component and, as of 2020, at least two patrol boats and a national police helicopter were forward-deployed to Senegal to assist in stemming illegal migrant traffic to the Canary Islands.^[14]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Brigada "CANARIAS" XVI . Ministerio de Defensa.
2. Web site: Regimiento de Infantería "Soria" nº 9 . Ministerio de Defensa.
3. Web site: Regimiento de Infantería "Tenerife" Nº 49 . Ministerio de Defensa.
4. Web site: Regimiento de Infantería "Canarias" Nº 50 . Ministerio de Defensa.
5. Web site: Ejercicio BETA "DRAGO I/22" . Ministerio de Defensa.
6. Web site: Regimiento de Artillería de Campaña nº 93 . Ministerio de Defensa.
7. Web site: Regimiento de Artilleria Antiaérea 94 . Ministerio de Defensa.
8. Web site: ISLAND HOPPERS – BHELMA VI. 27 October 2016 . Ridder.zero.
9. Web site: Spanish Air Force Organization . Military Analizer.
10. Web site: Spanish Air Force Orders 20 Eurofighter Typhoon Jets for Canary Islands . 23 June 2022 . MilitaryLeak.
11. Web site: ILA 2022: Spain signs for Halcon Eurofighters . 23 June 2022 . Janes.
12. Web site: Meteoro class offshore patrol vessels of the Spanish Navy . Naval Analyses . 10 October 2014.
13. Web site: Infantería de Marina de España: las unidades que la componen y sus medios materiales . 27 February 2023 . Defensa Aviacion.
14. Web site: Spain-Senegal relations: beyond the repatriation agreement . 30 November 2020 . Atalayar.