Residents of Manilva can see one of the most imposing vessels of the Spanish Navy, the Juan Carlos I (L-61), sailing through waters close to the coast this Friday morning as part of the military deployment of Operation FLOTEX-26, the Navy’s largest annual naval exercise.
The military exercise, which began on 11 May and is scheduled to run until the 22nd, is taking place across the Gulf of Cádiz, the Strait of Gibraltar and the Alborán Sea, an area considered strategic for both Spain and NATO because of its heavy maritime traffic and geopolitical importance.
The enormous ship, normally based in Rota, acts as the main aeronaval platform of the exercise and operates with AV-8B Harrier II fighter jets, embarked helicopters and amphibious units. The vessel’s passage off the Manilva coast has attracted particular attention because of its size and the unusual sight of an aircraft carrier sailing so close to our shoreline.
At more than 230 metres in length and with capacity to carry around 1,200 military personnel, armoured vehicles, helicopters and landing craft, the Juan Carlos I (L-61) is the largest ship ever built for the Spanish Navy and one of the key elements of the country’s military projection capability.
According to the Navy itself, the aim of FLOTEX-26 is to assess the Naval Force’s capacity to respond in complex crisis scenarios and high-intensity operations, integrating frigates, submarines, drones, aircraft and Marine Infantry units.
The deployment also carries significant symbolic and strategic weight. The Strait of Gibraltar and the Alborán Sea have become one of the most sensitive points in the western Mediterranean, particularly because of international military transit and growing naval surveillance on Europe’s southern flank.
