Gibraltar Airport, now at the center of negotiations Britain's exit from the European Union In the rock, it is De facto Military Operations Center. So much so that up to 58 military aircraft used Lanito Airport throughout 2023. In addition, nine ships from the Navy arrived at the naval base. British Royal Navy and five from the United Kingdom's Royal Auxiliary Fleet.
According to a census conducted by military observer Michael Sanchez, Gibraltar Airport received 53 aircraft – most of them – from Royal Air Force (RFA) British: 34 A400M aircraft, a long-range military transport aircraft; 10 C-17A aircraft, another long-range heavy military transport aircraft; Three C-130 aircraft, three other Envoy IV aircraft, as well as three Royal Air Force Chinook helicopters.
It also hosted three C-130 aircraft from the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and one C-40C aircraft from… United States Air Forces (USAF) and PC6T from the North American Federal Aviation Agency (FAA). The United States uses the Rock's military facilities with permission from the United Kingdom, since the two powers are not integrated into the NATO structure.
On the other hand, the British Royal Navy ships that stopped at the naval base are HMS Audacious and HMS Triumph, Two nuclear submarines; The destroyers HMS Diamond and HMS Duncan, the patrol ships HMS Medway, HMS Trent and HMS Scott, as well as the icebreaker HMS Protector. Auxiliary ships were RFA Tidesurge, RFA Tidespring, RFA Mounts Bay, RFA Lyme Bay and RFA Argus.
The continued arrival of military aircraft to Gibraltar has occurred in the midst of negotiations between the European Union and the United Kingdom over the rock's relationship with Spain and the rest of the 27 countries after Brexit. Further evidence of the colony's importance to Military deployment for the United Kingdom in the Mediterranean, particularly in the context of the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.
Greater military presence
The British Armed Forces have strengthened their presence in Gibraltar in recent years, with their number reaching approx 14,000 soldiers From the Army, 79 Royal Navy ships (including nuclear submarines) and 117 Royal Air Force military aircraft. Between 6,000 and 7,000 soldiers arrived by boat. 4,000 by plane, and between 2,000 and 3,000 in various maneuvers.
In addition, there is currently work at the rock 952 employees From the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, of whom 528 were civilians hired by the colonial government. By unit, there are 235 members of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, 28 of the Royal Navy Squadron, 16 of the Royal Air Force, and 145 belonging to the British Forces Headquarters in Gibraltar, according to British government data.
It's all part of the UK's plans to turn the rock into Strategic base Its armed forces after its exit from the European Union. The British government sees Gibraltar as a “springboard for defense to project itself globally”, an “essential” enclave “for combating current and future threats”, which means a greater military presence in the colony over the coming years.
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