Spain holds drills to intercept drones with Patriot and HAWK, uses Ukraine's expertise

On May 11-16, 2024, the Spanish army conducted large-scale exercises for its air defense units to counter enemy unmanned aerial vehicles. For these exercises, the Spanish military formed the Halcon Joint Tactical Group, which included MIM-23 Hawk missile systems from the 73rd Air Defense Missile Regiment, a Patriot battery from the 74th Air Defense Missile System, and Cervus UAV countermeasures from the 71st Air Defense Missile Regiment.

During these exercises, the Spanish army aimed to practice countering drones in the format that is used in modern wars. And at the same time, to test the readiness of its anti-aircraft gunners to destroy these very UAVs, Infodefensa said in a statement.

Ukraine's Defense Express expert group assumed that during these anti-drone exercises, the Spanish military hardly acted without guidance from the Ukrainian anti-aircraft gunners, which could have been received during direct interaction.

Spain itself has not only provided Ukraine with air defense equipment, such as MIM-23 HAWK anti-aircraft missile systems or missiles for Patriot systems, but has also trained Ukraine's air defense personnel. In particular, in March of this year, Defense Express told how Spain trained Ukraine's military to master HAWK and Patriot, and now it will train them on NASAMS as well.

Information has often surfaced in the Western media about the training of the Ukrainian military at training grounds in Europe — it is always a process where not only Ukrainian defenders but also Western instructors gain new knowledge.

"Moreover, it is not only the echelon of air defense systems that the Spanish military built during the exercise - Patriot, HAWK and Cervus anti-drone systems - that attracts special attention. But also the duration of the exercise, which lasted five days. Perhaps it also included preparations for long combat duties that could last for several days non-stop," Defense Express sums up.