Spanish C130 hard at work in Dakar to support the deployment of Misma

The C-130 aircraft with 30 first military air force Spanish arrived at 16:10 Saturday (January 26) at the airport in Dakar (Senegal). Twenty soldiers should follow in the middle of next week.

The C-130 Hercules (T-10 Spanish name), the Ala 31, left its base at 7:15 Zaragoza. After a stop to integrate personnel and equipment additional airbase Moron de la Frontera, Sevilla, he avoided the Moroccan territory, over the sea by the Canary Islands, along the coast of Mauritania, and the Senegal.

Airlift to Bamako, but not binding inter-theater

On site at Dakar, Spanish plane will be responsible for maintaining an air bridge to Bamako, Mali, to transport troops and equipment to Misma. This aircraft "will not fly international theaters, airports between the Malian territory," says the Spanish Ministry of Defense. Its mission is "to facilitate the transport of troops and equipment to the International Mission of Support in Mali international conduct" (AFISMA / MISMA).


Detachment composed

Of the 30 soldiers who make up the Spanish detachment, the commander of the mission, two full crews of Hercules (consisting of a pilot, a copilot, a navigator, a flight engineer, including including two supervisors of each load), belonging to the Ala 31. A chef and two teams of operational deployment Support Squadron deployment of the Air Force (EADA) ensure accountability of the security detachment of Spanish. A medical deployment support air (UMAAD) complete the device for setting up a hospital "Role 1" and a team of mobile air control group (GRUMOCA), which establish secure communications with Spain.