26/09/2013 00:00
TW
0

THE biggest and most powerful helicopter of the Spanish Armed Forces, the Chinook, could be seen in action in Majorca and Minorca yesterday, during a simulated tactical exercise to test immediate reaction responses. Involved in the operation were the Balearic High Command and the Helicopter Transport Battalion which is based in Colmenar Viejo (Madrid).
The Chinook can carry 10.28 tons of cargo or 44 solders with their equipment. Its range is 450 kilometres and its maximum speed is 270 kilometres.
Its silhouette is unmistakable, as it has two engines.
The exercise involved two trips, carrying soldiers and demolitions and explosives teams.
Both groups left from the General Asensio base in Palma, the first landing at Sant Lluis airport in Minorca at 5pm and the second two hours later.
Majorca has also been chosen for logistic exercises by a NATO headquarters in Bétera (Valencia).
This exercise, which will involve 2'000 troops from 11 countries, will start on October 14 and continue until the end of the month.
The troops will be based at General Asensio and Cabo Blanco, and there will be a third command post at Son Sant Joan or Son Busquets (Valldemossa Road). The NATO post at Bétera has a capacity for commanding 60'000 soldiers.
Army sources said yesterday that if all the vehicles which will be used in the exercises were placed in single file, they would take up five kilometres of road. Seventy percent of the troops which will be sent to Majorca will be from the Spanish Armed Forces, and the remainder will come from the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Holland. They will be brought here by Air Force planes, Navy ships and civilian transport.
The manoeuvres will not involve shooting practice, it is basically an exercise in co-ordination and preparation.