King Felipe VI to Preside Over the Great Naval Parade of Motril 2023

The port of Motril (Granada) will receive, starting tomorrow, May 30, the units that will participate in the naval review for Armed Forces Day 2023. In total, there will be twelve ships in what will be the largest concentration of Navy units in a national port in years.

Leading the group is the Amphibious and Projection Group, formed by the LHD ships “Juan Carlos I”, the LPD ships “Galicia” and “Castilla” – the latter designated as the command ship of the Maritime High Readiness Headquarters – and the landing craft from the Naval Beach Group.

Aboard are the Marine Infantry force and its General Staff, with about five hundred personnel as well as Harrier aircraft and AB212 helicopters from the 3rd Squadron and SH-60 from the 5th and 10th Squadrons on the two LPD units.

From Ferrol, the frigates “Almirante Juan de Borbón” and “Cristóbal Colón” will arrive, which are part of the 31st Escort Squadron, as well as the frigates “Santa María”, “Victoria” and “Canarias” from the 41st Escort Squadron, based in Rota.

From Cartagena, the minehunters “Duero” and “Tambre”, belonging to the Mine Countermeasures Force, will also join. The submarine “Tramontana” and the BAM “Furor”, both also based in Cartagena, will participate.

All the mentioned units will participate in the naval review that will take place starting at 5 PM on June 2, in the presence of King Felipe VI, who will embark on the BAM “Furor”. The ships will sail in a line formation, from east to west, from Torrenueva to the start of the west beach, where they will turn to port to pay honors to the monarch and will continue sailing in front of the beach.

In total, there will be 2,800 people, including the crews of the ships, Marine Infantry, and embarked air units. The stay of the naval group is planned until June 2.

It is reported that there will be open house days in all units on May 31 and June 1, from 10 AM to 8 PM, and it will be possible to see a static exhibition of various equipment and armaments, with the presence of five high mobility tactical vehicles (VAMTAC) from the Marine Infantry.

On May 31 and June 1, there will be sea baptisms from the LPD ship “Galicia”, from which participants will board the LCM boats for a tour inside the port.

After the review, a dynamic exhibition will take place on the West beach with the participation of Air Force paratroopers, helicopters from the Aspa Patrol, VAMTAC vehicles, Pizarro and Leopard from the Army, units of the Civil Guard simulating a chase and arrest; an amphibious demonstration by the Navy with Marine Infantry troops, Super Cats fast boats, LCM landing crafts, and amphibious vehicles, as well as a hovering flight of the Harrier aircraft from the 9th Squadron of the Navy Aircraft Flotilla.

Photo: Navy