The 16th Brigade “Canarias” prepares for a major training exercise

Transfer of resources headed for the San Gregorio National Training Centre

Assembly of sanitary facilities

Logistics Group Command Post at CENAD

The 16th Brigade “Canarias”, part of the Canary Islands General Command (MCANA), has begun its deployment at the ‘San Gregorio’ National Training Centre (CENAD), in Zaragoza, where it will carry out the ‘Canarex’ exercise between April the 7th and 23rd. The Motorized Infantry Battalion “Philippines” I / 47, of the General Command of the Balearic Islands, which has been part of MCANA since September last year, will also take part in this exercise.

The “Canarex” exercise as such began the night of March the 24th to 25th with the deployment process that will be performed in three “waves”, in which both resources and personnel will be transferred by sea to Huelva, continuing over land to Zaragoza. Subsequently, a total of 464 military personnel will be transferred by air. In total, 268 vehicles and approximately 1,000 military personnel will be mobilized from Las Palmas and Tenerife. The withdrawal process will be carried out in a similar way, with the beginning of the process scheduled for the end of April.

The operations will be carried out in three phases. The first will be an "alpha" type phase, from April the 7th to 11th, in which the companies will complete instruction and training exercises at their level, including live fire and the use of explosives. The second "beta" type phase will take place from April 12th to the 18th. Tactical group exercises will be conducted, in which the combat units will already have their combat support units. Finally, in the “gamma” phase from April the 19th to 23rd, the time will come for the “livex” exercise, in which the Brigade will carry out an offensive operation framed within a superior unit, which will include a combat operation in urbanized area.

For this exercise, the Canary Islands General Command has requested the support of various units of the Land Force: the Engineers General Command, to carry out reconnaissance and river crossing practices; from the Antiaircraft Artillery Command, with resources and command and control personnel for the integration of antiaircraft defense; from the Field Artillery Command, with a target acquisition unit; and of the Support Logistics Group No. 41, for the assembly of a logistics complex for general support. Likewise, CENAD will collaborate with its Enemy Unit.

After this exercise, the 16th Brigade will be certified and in a position to begin the preparation phase for its next deployment in Lebanon, within the framework of the 36th “Free Hidalgo” mission, scheduled for the end of 2021. The tactical group will be established on the base of the Infantry Regiment "Tenerife" No. 49 and the 16th Zapadores Battalion.