The Spanish Air Force is now a Space Force too

Spain moves beyond: President Sanchez’s office decided to rename its Air Force as the Air and Space Force, to adapt the institution to the new challenges.

Following in the wake of other armed forces that formally assumed the extension of their area of responsibility towards the space field, either by creating new dedicated branches of the military (as in the US or UK) or, as in the French case, by expanding the field of action of its Air Force, the Spanish Air Force also spreads its wings to soar beyond the atmosphere.

The news was communicated today by the Minister and Government Spokeswoman, Mrs. Isabel Rodriguez Garcia, during a press conference at the Moncloa Palace.

According to the words of the spokeswoman of the Executive, the change of nomenclature is a sign of the “strategic commitment of this Government to an important industry, such as the Aerospace industry”.

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“It is about making more visible the effort we are making, from the Government, to adapt all the devices, and in this case, the defense of our country, to a new reality, to the new challenges we have before us”, he added later.

Following the guidelines already set out in the National Security Strategic Plan, which urged Spain to strengthen its space security capabilities, the Spanish space industry should be boosted thanks to its relationship with the Ministry of Defense and the forthcoming launch of the Spanish Space Agency.

Isabel Rodríguez also pointed out the importance of space development from an economic point of view, since the space sector is strategic for Spain “because of the significance of its production, and therefore the industries already installed. For the ecosystem generated around it based on innovation and, of course, for the economic and labor market transformation that a commitment to this type of industry means”.

Then he added: “In short, it is a matter of reinforcing the Armed Forces, and in this case, the Air Force, to monitor this space. To guarantee security and freedom of action in the defense of national interests”.

Thus, the Spanish Air and Space Force is formally established, which will have under its strategic action responsibility the operations within the air and space domain.