Spanish Army

Ejército de Tierra Spanish Army
Seal of the Spanish Army
Founded	15th century – present
Country	Spain
Branch	Army
Role	Land force
Size	75,000[1]
Garrison/HQ	Buenavista Palace, Madrid
Mascot	Two headed Falcon
Commanders
Chief of Army Staff	Army General Jaime Domínguez Buj[2]
Commander in Chief	King Juan Carlos I
Aircraft flown
Attack	Tiger
Reconnaissance	MBB Bo 105
Trainer	Colibrí
Transport	Chinook Cougar

The Spanish army (Spanish: Ejército de Tierra; lit, "ground army") is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies - dating back to the late 15th century.

History

The Spanish army has existed continuously since the reign of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella (late 15th century). The oldest and largest of the three services, its mission was the defense of peninsular Spain, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Melilla, Ceuta and the Spanish islands and rocks off the northern coast of Africa.

Under the Habsburgs

During the 16th century, Habsburg Spain saw a steady growth in its military power. The Italian Wars (1494–1559) resulted in an ultimate Spanish victory and hegemony in northern Italy by expelling the French. During the war, the Spanish army transformed its organization and tactics, evolving from a primarily pike and halberd wielding force into the first pike and shot formation of arquebusiers and pikemen, known as the colunella. During the 16th century this formation evolved into the tercio infantry formation. The new formation and battle tactics were developed because of Spain's inability to field sufficient cavalry forces to face the heavy French cavalry.^[3]

Backed by the financial resources drawn from the Americas,^[4] Spain could afford to mount lengthy campaigns against her enemies, such as the long running Dutch revolt (1568–1609), defending Christian Europe from Ottoman raids and invasions, supporting the Catholic cause in the French civil wars and fighting, England during the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604). The Spanish army grew in size from around 20,000 in the 1470s, to around 300,000 by the 1630s during the Thirty Years' War that tore Europe apart, requiring the recruitment of soldiers from across Europe.^[5] With such numbers involved, Spain had trouble funding the war effort on so many fronts. The non-payment of troops led to many mutinies and events such as the Sack of Antwerp (1576), when unpaid tercio units looted the Dutch city.

The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) drew in Spain alongside most other European states. Spain entered the conflict with a strong position, but the ongoing fighting gradually eroded her advantages; first Dutch, then Swedish innovations had made the tercio more vulnerable, having less flexibility and firepower than its more modern equivalents.^[6] Nevertheless, Spanish armies continued to win major battles and sieges throughout this period across large swathes of Europe. French entry into the war in 1635 put additional pressure on Spain, with the French victory at the Battle of Rocroi in 1643 being a major boost for the French. By the signing of the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, Spain was forced to accept the independence of the Dutch Republic.

In the second half of the century, a much reduced and increasingly neglected Spanish army became infamous for being poorly equipped and rarely paid.^[7]

18th century

Spain remained an important naval and military power, depending on critical sea lanes stretching from Spain through the Caribbean and South America, and westwards towards Manila and the Far East.

The Army was reorganised on the French model and in 1704 the old Tercios were transformed into Regiments. The first modern military school (the Artillery School) was created in Segovia in 1764. Finally, in 1768 King Charles III sanctioned the "Royal Ordinances for the Regime, Discipline, Subordination and Service in his Armies", which were in force until 1978.^[8]

19th century and Restoration

Second Republic (1931-36)

Civil War (1936-39)

The Spanish Army under the Francoist Regime (1939-1975)

This period can be divided in four phases:^[9]

• 1939-1945: Second World War
• 1945-1954: International Isolation (lack of means)
• 1945-1961: Agreement with the United States (a certain improvement in means and capabilities)
• 1961-1975: Developement plans (economic basis for the modernisations that follows in the 1970s and 1980s).

Second World War

At the end of the Civil War, the Spanish (Francoist) Army counted with 1,020,500 men, in 60 Divisions.^[10] During the first year of peace, Franco dramatically reduced the size of the Spanish Army to 250,000 in early 1940, with most soldiers two-year conscripts.^[11] A few weeks after the end of the war, the eight traditional Military Regions (Madrid, Sevilla, Valencia, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Burgos, Valladolid, La Coruña) were reestablished. In 1944 a ninth Military Region, with HQ in Granada, was created.^[10] The Air Force became an independent service, under its own Air Ministry.

Concerns about the international situation, Spain's possible entry into World War II, and threats of invasion led him to undo some of these reductions. In November 1942, with the Allied landings in North Africa and the German occcupation of Vichy France bringing hostilities closer than ever to Spain's border, Franco ordered a partial mobilization, bringing the army to over 750,000 men.^[11] The Air Force and Navy also grew in numbers and in budgets, to 35,000 airmen and 25,000 sailors by 1945, although for fiscal reasons Franco had to restrain attempts by both services to undertake dramatic expansions.^[11]

During the Second World War, the Spanish Army had eight Army Corps, with two or three Infantry Division each. Additionally, there were two Army Corps in Northern Africa, the Canary Islands General Command and the Balearic Islands General Command, one Cavalry Division and the Artillery's General Reserve. In 1940 a Reserve Group, with three Divisions, was created.^[10]

International Isolation

At the end of the Second World War, the Spanish Army counted 22,000 officers, 3,000 NCO and almost 300,000 soldados. The equipment dated from the Civil War, with some systems produced in Germany during the World War. Doctrine and Training were obsolete, as they had not incorporated the teachings of the Second World War. This situation lasted until the agreements with the United States in 1954.^[9]

Agreement with the United States (Barroso Reform, 1957)

After the signature of the military agreement with the United States in 1954, the assistance received from Washington allowed Spain to procure more modern equipment and to improve the country's defence capabilities. More than 200 Spanish officers and NCOs received specialised training in the United States each year under a parallel program.

With the Barroso Reform (1957), the Spanish Army abandoned the organisation inherited from the Civil War to adopt the United States' pentomic structure. In 1958 three experimental pentomic Infantry Divisions were created (Madrid, Algeciras, Valencia). In 1960, five more pentomic Infantry Divisions (Gerona, Málaga, Oviedo, Vigo, Vitoria) and four mountain Divisions were created.

All in all, after the Barroso Reform, the Spanish Army had 8 pentomic Infantry Divisions, four Mountain Divisions, one Armoured Division, one Cavalry Division, three independent Armoured Brigades and three Field Artillery Brigades.^[9]

Years of Economic Development (Menéndez Tolosa Reform, 1965)

The 1965 Reforms were inspired by contemporary French organisation and Doctrine of the era. The Army was grouped into two basic categories: the Immediate Intervention Forces (Field Army) and the Operational Defence Forces (Territorial Army) and were divided into the following:

• The IIF (FA) had the mission of defending the Pyrenean and the Gibraltar frontiers and of fulfilling Spain's security commitments abroad and thus were composed of the following:
  • Armoured Division, with two Brigades
  • Mechanised Division, with two Brigades
  • Motorized Division, with two Brigades
  • Parachute Brigade (raised 1973)
  • Airborne Brigade
  • Armored Cavalry Brigade
  • Army Corps support units

• ODF (TA) units had the missions of maintaining security in the regional commands and of reinforcing the Civil Guard) and the police against subversion and terrorism categorized into:
  • 9 independent TA Infantry Brigades (one in every Military Region), with two Infantry Battalions each,
  • 2 TA Mountain Divisions,
  • 1 Mountain Reserve of the Army High Command (TA),
  • The Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Ceuta and Melilla commands, with their respective TA units including the Regulares (6 Groups later reduced to 4) and the Spanish Legion (4 Tercios),
  • and the Army General Reserve Command.^[9]

During the last years of Francoist regime, contemporary weapons were ordered for the Spanish Army. In 1973, the military education system was reformed in depth, in order to make its structure and objectives similar to those existing in the civilian universities.

The Spanish Army under King Juan Carlos

Initial years (1975-1989)

Three main events characterise this period: creation of a single Ministry of Defence (1977) to replace the three existing military ministries (Army, Navy and Air Ministries), the failed coup d'état in February 1981 and the accession to NATO in 1982.

The Army modernisation program (META plan) was done between 1982 and 1988 in order for Spain to achieve full compliance with NATO standards.^[12] When the plan was completed the following results were achieved:

• Military regions in the mainland were reduced from 9 to 6.
• The IIF (FA) and the ODF (TA) were merged into one single structure.
• The number of Brigades was reduced from 24 to 15.
• Personnel numbers were reduced from 279,000 to 230,000.

After the end of the Cold War (1989-present)

The end of the Cold War, the reduction of the term of military service for conscripts until its complete abolition in 2001^[13]and the increasing participation of Spanish forces in multinational peacekeeping operations abroad^[14] are the main drivers for changes in the Spanish Army after 1989. Three reorganisation plans were implemented since: the RETO plan (1990), the NORTE plan (1994)^[15] and the Instruction for Organisation and Operation of the Army (IOFET) 2005.

Today

Personnel

In 2001, when compulsory military service was still in effect, the army was about 135,000 troops (50,000 officers and 86,000 soldiers). Following the suspension of conscription the Spanish Army became a fully professionalised volunteer force and by 2008 had a personnel strength of 61,300.^[16] In case of a wartime emergency, an additional force of 80,000 Civil Guards comes under the Ministry of Defence command. Recent defence reforms will see the number of soldiers in the Spanish Army fall significantly.^[17]

Equipment

Weapons

• Heckler & Koch USP - 9 mm pistol Standard weapon.
• Heckler & Koch MP5 - 9 mm submachinegun Special Operations Forces.
• HK G36E - 5.56 mm assault rifle. Without integral red dot sight, Spanish variants use a Picatinny Rail to mount an EoTech holographic sight
• Heckler & Koch G36KE and G36CE - 5.56 mm assault rifle Special Operations Forces.
• MG3 - 7.62 mm NATO medium machine gun
• HK MG4 - 5.56 mm light machine gun (standard LMG)
• Browning M2 HB - 12.70 mm heavy machine gun
• SB LAG 40 grenade Launcher
• Instalaza Alhambra-DO hand grenade
• Instalaza C-100 Alcotán - 100 mm anti-tank grenade launcher
• Instalaza C-90 CR (M3) - 90 mm disposable anti-tank grenade launcher
• Spike - anti-tank missile launcher
• Milan - anti-tank missile launcher
• Tow 2 - anti-tank missile launcher
• Barrett M95 - 12.7 mm heavy sniper rifle
• Accuracy International Arctic Warfare - 7.62 mm sniper rifle
• ECIA L65/60 60 mm light mortar
• ECIA L65/81 mortar - 81 mm medium mortar
• ECIA L65/105 mortar - 105 mm medium mortar
• ECIA L65/120 mortar - 120 mm heavy mortar

Combat vehicles

• 219 Leopardo 2E (A6) Main Battle Tank
• 108 Leopard 2 A4 Main Battle Tank ( 54 in reserve )
• 84 VRC-105B1 Centauro wheeled tank-destroyer
• 4 VCREC Centauro
• 356 Pizarro infantry fighting vehicles in five versions
• 500+ M113 armored personnel carriers in seven versions
• 648 BMR-M1 medium six-wheeled APC
• 135 VEC-M1 cavalry scout vehicle
• 90 TOM Bv206S tracked vehicle
• 185 IVECO LMV Lince 4WD tactical vehicle (575 total order)
• 100 RG-31 Mk5E Nyala (MRAP) 4WD tactical vehicle (MRAP)
• 10 Cardom Recoil Mortar System (RMS)
• 6 Husky 2G (mine detection system)
• URO VAMTAC, all terrain 4x4 tactical vehicle (more than 1,500)
• Santana Anibal, an all terrain 4x4 utility vehicle (more than 1,500)
• Iveco Eurocargo all terrain utility vehicle
• Iveco M250W.37
• VEMPAR Tactic Heavy Lorry 450HP, 20t cargo lorry

Artillery

• M109A5 - 155/39 mm self-propelled howitzer, as the M109A5(+96)
• 155/52 APU SBT - 155/52 mm howitzer (84)
• L-118A1 - 105/37 mm light field howitzer (59) with Base Bleed (range 21 km) by Expal
• Teruel MRL - Self Propelled Multi Launch Rocket System (out of service)
• OERLIKON GDF-005 35/90 35 mm Anti-aircraft artillery piece (92)
• Raytheon MIM-23 HAWK - Surface-to-Air missile system (36)
• Raytheon MIM-104 Patriot - Surface-to-Air missile system (8) 1 Battery
• Roland - Surface-to-Air missile system (18)
• Skyguard-Aspide - Surface-to-Air missile system (13)
• NASAMS - Surface-to-Air missile system (8)
• MBDA SATCP Mistral missile - Anti-aircraft infrared homing missile system (168)

Aircraft

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service[18]	Notes
Helicopters
Agusta-Bell 212	USA	Transport helicopter		5	Spanish designation HU.18
Bell UH-1H Iroquois	USA	Transport helicopter		31	Spanish designation HU.10
Boeing CH-47D Chinook	USA	Heavy transport helicopter		17	Spanish designation HT.17
Bölkov BO-105	Germany	Light attack helicopter		28	Spanish designation HA.15
Eurocopter AS332B1 Super Puma	European Union	Transport helicopter		16	Spanish designation HU.21
Eurocopter AS532UL Cougar	European Union	Transport helicopter		14	Spanish designation HU.21L
Eurocopter EC-135T-2	European Union	training helicopter		11	Spanish Designation HE.26
Eurocopter Tigre	European Union	Heavy attack helicopter		6	18 more on order
NHI NH90	European Union	Transport helicopter			38 on order (TTH version)

Unmanned aerial vehicles

• 4 Siva UAV
• 4 IAI Searcher MK II J
• 27 RQ-11 Raven
• EADS Barracuda (German - Spanish Joint Venture. Prototype stage)

Formation and structure

The current structure of the Spanish Army is as follows:^[19]

Army Headquarters

Army HQ is made up of these six organisations which report directly to the Chief of the Army Staff.

• Army Staff
• CIS Command
• Military Culture and History Institute
• Chief of the Army Staff's Cabinet
• Headquarters Legal Council
• King's 1st Inmemorial Infantry Regiment

Army Force

High Readiness Land HQ

• HQ Battalion
• 1st Intelligence Regiment
• 1st Military Police Battalion

Land Force

• Headquarters
• Light Forces
• Heavy Forces
• Army Helicopter Forces
• Special Forces Command
• Field Artillery Command
• Anti-Aircraft Artillery Command
• Engineers Command
• Signals Brigade
• Balearic Islands General Command
• Ceuta General Command
• Melilla General Command
• Other Units

Canary Islands Command

• Headquarters
• 16th Light Infantry Brigade "Canarias"
• Other Units

Operational Logistic Force

• Headquarters
• Logistics Brigade
• Medical Brigade

Support Force

Force Support is the combination of organisations responsible for direction, management and control of human material and financial assets assigned to the Army.

• Training and Doctrine Command
• Personnel Command
• Logistic Support Command
• Army Inspection
• Economic Affairs Directorate

Commanders in Chief of the Spanish Army

Army Ministers

Source: es:Ministerio del Ejército

• Lieutenant General José Enrique Varela Iglesias (1939-1942)
• Lieutenant General Carlos Asensio Cabanillas (1942-1945)
• Lieutenant General Fidel Dávila Arrondo (1945-1951)
• Lieutenant General Agustín Muñoz Grandes (1951-1957)
• Lieutenant General Antonio Barroso y Sánchez-Guerra (1957-1962)
• Lieutenant General Pablo Martín Alonso (1962-1964)
• Lieutenant General Camilo Menéndez Tolosa (1964-1969)
• Lieutenant General Juan Castañón de Mena (1969-1973)
• Lieutenant General Francisco Coloma Gallegos (1973-1975)
• Lieutenant General Félix Álvarez-Arenas y Pacheco (1975-1977)

Chiefs of the Army Staff

• Lieutenant General José Vega Rodríguez (1976-1978)^[20]
• Lieutenant General Tomás de Liniers y Pidal (1978-1979)^[20]
• Lieutenant General José Gabeiras Montero (1979-1982)^[20]
• Lieutenant General Ramón de Ascanio y Togores (1982-1984)^[20]
• Lieutenant General José María Sáenz de Tejada y Fernández de Bobadilla (1984-1986)^[20]
• Lieutenant General Miguel Íñiguez del Moral (1986-1990)^[20]
• Lieutenant General Ramón Porgueres Hernández (1990-1994)^[20]
• Lieutenant General José Faura Martín (1994-1998)^[20]
• Lieutenant General Alfonso Pardo de Santayana y Coloma(1998-2003)^[20]
• Army General Luis Alejandre Sintes (2003-2004)^[20]
• Army General José Antonio García González (2004-2006)^[20]
• Army General Carlos Villar Turrau (2006-2008)^[20]
• Army General Fulgencio Coll Bucher (2008-2012)^[20]
• Army General Jaime Domínguez Buj (2012- ^[21]

Ranks and insignia

The military ranks of the Spanish army are as follows below. For a comparison with other NATO ranks see Ranks and Insignia of NATO. Ranks are wore on the cuff, sleeves and shoulders of all army uniforms, but differ by the type of the uniform being used.

NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1		OF(D)	Student Officer
Spain (Edit)
	Capitán general1	General de Ejército	Teniente general	General de división	General de brigada	Coronel	Teniente coronel	Comandante	Capitán	Teniente	Alférez	Caballero Alférez Cadete	Alumno 2º Alumno 1º
1 Retained by His Majesty the King of Spain as his constitutional role.

NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4		OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Spain (Edit)
	Suboficial mayor			Subteniente			Brigada		Sargento primero		Sargento						Cabo mayor						Cabo primero		Cabo		Soldado de primera						Soldado

Officer ranks

• Caballero Cadete - Officer cadet
• Alférez - Second lieutenant
• Teniente - Lieutenant
• Capitán - Captain
• Comandante - Commandant (lit. Commander), Major
• Teniente Coronel - Lieutenant Colonel
• Coronel - Colonel
• General de Brigada - Brigade General
• General de División - Divisional General
• Teniente General - Lieutenant General
• General de Ejército - General of the Army
• Capitán General - Captain General

Ranks of non-commissioned officers and enlisted

• Soldado - Private
• Soldado de Primera - Private First Class
• Cabo - Lance Corporal
• Cabo Primero - Corporal
• Cabo Mayor - Corporal Major/Lance Sergeant
• Sargento - Sergeant
• Sargento Primero - Staff Sergeant
• Brigada - Brigadier/Sergeant First Class
• Subteniente- Sublieutenant
• Suboficial Mayor - Sub-officer Major

See also

• Spanish Armed Forces
• Army of Spain (Peninsular War)
• NATO
• FAMET
• Spanish legion
• Regulares
• Spanish Republican Army
• Coats of Arms, Badges and Emblems of the Spanish Army

References

Bibliography

• Instruction no. 59/2005, of 4 April 2005, from the chief of the army staff on army organisation and function regulations, published in B.O.D. NO. 80 of 26 April 2005
• Lehardy, Diego, Spanish Army in a difficult phase of its transformation, RID magazine, July 1991.

External links and further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Army of Spain.

• Home page of the Spanish Land Army (English)
• Recruitment page (Spanish)
• The Spanish Military Forum

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