“We are prepared to act in any type of scenario” and protect NATO territoryJesús Viñas Barciela, frigate captain who has been in charge of the Spanish ship for the last two weeks, assures the EFE agency. Alvaro de Bazan “improving the individual and collective capabilities” of allies in anti-submarine defense. In an interview from the Álvaro de Bazán, docked in the Icelandic port of Reykjavík for a rest before returning to patrol, Viñas Barciela, from Marín (Pontevedra), highlights the importance of the annual anti-submarine warfare exercise Dynamic Mongoose, which takes place in the North Atlantic, testing the Alliance with complex scenarios.
“What we seek is to improve our capabilities at an individual and collective level in anti-submarine defense and, of course, holding this exercise in this area sends a message that we are now prepared to act in any type of scenario,” he warns. .
Asked about how it has influenced ukrainian war Regarding Spain’s role in NATO, the military man assures that the objective for years has been to keep threats as far away as possible. “We are here trying to prevent that from happening in our country.. Not now because what happened in Ukraine has happened. We have been far from our borders for many years, trying to keep all threats far away. We are seeing it closer and closer and, as we see it closer, the closer we are going to be here deterring our adversaries and prepared to defend, if necessary, tonight,” says the captain.
The Spanish frigate is contributing to “supporting Spain’s 360-degree vision in NATO,” which focuses not only on the eastern flank, but also on the southern flank, says Viñas Barciela.
Maritime Group One (SNMG1) is a multinational integrated work team that seeks a “constant and visible update of solidarity and cohesion” in the Alliance. Since April 24, it has mobilized 1,800 people and twelve ships, including the frigate Álvaro de Bazán, for “intense and challenging training” in a 200,000-square-mile area in the North Atlantic. “They are eminently anti-submarine maneuvers,” he explains, after two weeks working on “an area of great strategic interest” for NATO, between Norway and Iceland.
The Álvaro de Bazán has been “another unit, working with its anti-submarine warfare and air dominance capabilities”, with also tasks of defense and air coordination, in an area, says the Galician captain, “where there were many aerial means, planes maritime patrol and helicopters, where it is important to ensure security and air traffic.”
As an example, he explains that, during the exercises, it has been simulated that units called ‘valuable’ for the mission have to go from point A to point B, from the United States to Europe, and have to be protected by other units. escort type, such as the Álvaro de Bazán and other frigates that have participated in the mission. For example, in the face of “an underwater threat, submarines are units that have a great advantage underwater, as they are capable of detecting us, locating us and following us at a great distance, and we must first be able to prevent them from detecting us and, On the other hand, make maneuvers so that they focus on other ships and not on our valuable unit, so that it can fulfill its mission,” he states.
Viñas Barciela emphasizes that The pace at which submarine technology advances is “a constant challenge” for the Navies. “We have to be in the gap because the adversaries and our opponents also want to be in the gap and they will find superiority if they open the technological hole for us,” he adds. “It is essential for us that our capabilities are up to date, but capabilities are not only materials, they are also our people, that our crews are up to date in techniques, tactics and procedures, which, like technology, are advancing today in very, very fast day,” he explains.
The threat to Critical underwater infrastructure has also increased since the war in Ukraine began. In February, the Netherlands’ military intelligence services accused Russia of mapping its energy supply system from the North Sea to determine possible points where distribution could be interrupted, which could affect wind farms, internet cables and gas pipelines. .
“It is something that we are studying and we have seen that it may be in danger. It is true that countries around us, like Norway, are very concerned (…) We are putting our efforts to support the defense of these infrastructures, mainly with our presence,” concludes Viñas Barciela.
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