Spain to Deploy Predator Drones Near Morocco for Migration Monitoring

The Predator drones will be deployed in September at the Lanzarote military base, next to Fuerteventura, near the Moroccan coast and very close to the Sahara. According to the Air Force, the Predators will participate in October in the "Sirio 22" exercise, the largest annual exercise of the air force. It aims to train and evaluate the air service system in Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands, reports El Confidencial.

The air defense of the Canary Islands is one of the sensitive points of the deployment of the armed forces on Spanish territory. A few weeks ago, the Ministry of Defense signed a contract for the purchase of 20 Eurofighter combat aircraft. These fighters will replace the F-18s of the air force acquired second-hand from the United States.

Morocco’s rearmament has prompted Spain to strengthen its army. Morocco has American F-16 fighters, superior to the F-18s. The Predator was used for the first time in Spain on June 29, the first day of the NATO summit held in Madrid. The Predator drones will be dedicated to border surveillance, the fight against drug trafficking, illegal immigration, and the control of Spanish territorial waters around the Strait of Gibraltar.

The Predator drones will participate in the "Sirio 22" exercise, after their participation in the previous edition of these maneuvers.