The Spanish Army Air Defence Command (Spanish: Mando de Artillería Antiaérea, MAAA) is a command of the Spanish Army, based in Madrid; composed of anti-air artillery units under a same command, formed, trained and equipped to contribute, into a joint or joint/combined frame, to the air space control and defense. Those units may act either in the national territory or as a reinforcement to allied organization based on the joint and Army specific doctrine.Instrucción núm. 59/2005, de 4 de abril, del Jefe de Estado Mayor del Ejército sobre Normas de Organización y Funcionamiento del Ejército de Tierra, published in Spanish Ministry of Defense Official Publication (Boletín Oficial de Defensa, BOD) #80 of April 26th of 2005
The MAAA is composed of a General Quarter and a set of anti-aircraft artillery units and units of combat support.
The units belonging to the MAAA are: 71st Anti-air Artillery Regiment in Madrid with Mistral surface-to-air missiles and 35/90 Guns 73rd Anti-air Artillery Regiment in Cartagena, Murcia with Skyguard-Aspide surface-to-air missile systems and NASAMS surface-to-air missile systems, also in Valencia with MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile systems 74th Anti-air Artillery Regiment in San Roque, Cádiz and at Base El Copero in Dos Hermanas, Seville with HAWK PIP III surface-to-air missile systems 81st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment of Marines in Valencia Signal Battalion in Madrid and at Base El Copero in Dos Hermanas, Seville
The 94th Anti-air Artillery Regiment, which fields NASAMS surface-to-air missile systems falls under operational control of the Canarias General Command.
The 72nd Anti-Air Artillery Regiment was disbanded in December 2015.
Equipment in service These are the air-defence systems in service with the Spanish Army.
Air surveillance and command centers Mostly used with very short, short and medium range systems. ModelOriginImageTypeQuantityNotesCommand centersCOAAS-M Centro de Operaciones de Artillería Semiautomático MedioAir defence command and controlUnclearComposed of:
CIO (Information and Operations Center) which plans the deployment of the air defence units CPL (personnel and logistics center) which plans the sustainment of the deployed units FDC (fire directorate center) Radar: RAC 3-D IT of firing points (intelligent terminals) which are semi-automated (the SkyDor or Mistral TPO (observation post terminals) providing information about air raids in areas not covered by radars
COAAS-M shelter on a URO VAMTAC.
It can receive and distribute air detection information from and to all air defence systems.COAAS-L Centro de Operaciones de Artillería Semiautomático Ligero—Air defence command and controlUnclearCan be integrated to the COAAS-L through a PR4-G radio.
The COAAS-L can be connected to 2 Raven radars. The system uses a radar console CONRAD.SensorsThales Nederland Raven – COAAS-L Centro de Operaciones de Artillería Semiautomático LigeroX-band, FMCW (frequency modulated continuous wave), air surveillance radarUnclearRadar that can be used on its own or with the COAAS-L system. The data transferred to the COAAS-L through a PR4-G radio.
Range 20km, low and very low altitude surveillance.
Used primarily with Mistral air defence systems and with 35/90 air defence canons. – COAAS-M Centro de Operaciones de Artillería Semiautomático MedioC-band (UHF) 3D radar, air surveillance radar (medium low and very low altitude)UnclearRadar associated to the COAAS-M system that supports the air defence systems. Range of 100 km.
Vehicle used by the .
Used primarily with Mistral air defence systems and with 35/90 air defence canons.
Its replacement is being considered.LPD-20Early warnning radar, low / very low altitude—https://ejercito.defensa.gob.es/materiales/otros/RADAR-LPD-20.html
Air defence weapons
MIM-104 Patriot PAC-2 system The fire units currently in service were purchased to the German Air Force between 2004 and 2014. ModelOriginImageTypeQuantityNotesFire unitsMIM-104 Patriot PAC-2Medium to long range air defence fire unit3Purchases of the fire units:
1 purchased second-hand from Germany in 2004 2 purchased second-hand from Germany, received in June 2015Fire units compositionM901Launching station (TEL) Transporter erector launcher18Spain operates 6 launchers per fire unit. Each can carry up to 4 PAC-2 missiles.AN/MSQ-104 ECS Engagement Control StationCommand and control center31 per fire unit.AN/MPQ-53PESA fire-control radar Passive electronically scanned array"31 radar system per PAC-2 fire unit- The system is made of a radar, an IFF and an ECCM and track-via-missile.OE-349 Antenna Mast GroupTransmission station (UHF communications array)62 directional transmission systems per fire units. Transmitting data from the ECS to the launchers.Patriot PAC-2 generatorsElectrical power plant for radar82 generators on one truck per fire unit.MissilesPAC-2 Plus missilesSAM missile - anti-aircraft / anti-ballistic - long range Surface-to-airUnknownVehiclesMAN KAT1 8×8 LKW 15t mil gl KAT I A1 (8×8)Military trucks21Used with the radar and the TEL.MAN KAT1 6×6 LKW 10t mil gl KAT I A1 (6×6)Military trucks13Used with the ECS, the transmission system and the generator trucks.MAN KAT1 8×8 munition reloading truck LKW 15t mil gl KAT I A1 (8×8)Munition reloading trucksUnknownA truck equipped with a crane to reload the munitions on the launchers. MIM-23B Hawk ModelOriginImageTypeQuantityNotesBatteriesMIM-23B HawkMedium-range, semi-active radar homing, SAM Surface-to-air missile2Orders:
4 batteries purchased in 1965 (24 launchers). 2 batteries purchased second-hand from the US Army in 2001 (12 launchers).
Modernisation in 1984 with the PIP III (Product Improvement Plan 3).
Donations to Ukraine as of July 2025:
1 battery in November 2022. 1 battery in October 2023. 1 battery supplied in July 2024. 1 battery in September 2024.Fire units compositionMIM-23 Hawk launcherMissile launcher1424 launchers purchased in 1965, 12 additional in 2001, and 22 donated to Ukraine as of July 2025.
4 launchers in November 2022. 6 launchers in October 2023. 6 launchers supplied in July 2024. 6 launchers in September 2024.Battery Command PostDigital command and control post21 unified digital command post for the battery.
2 remain in service (4 + 2 purchased).
2025: Indra to modernise it with a modern IFF system.AN/MPQ-50C-band (IEEE), pulse acquisition, air surveillance radar2Radar used for long range medium to high altitude surveillance. 1 radar per battery.
2 remain in service (4 + 2 purchased).AN/MPQ-61Fire-control radar4Radar used to illuminate the targets. 2 radars per battery.
Upgraded to PIP III variant, addition of a Low-Altitude Simultaneous Hawk Engagement (LASHE) system.
4 remain in service (8 + 4 purchased).AN/MPQ-62Continuous wave radar2Radar used for low altitude threat detection. 1 radar per battery.
2 remain in service (4 + 2 purchased).MissilesMIM-23B HawkMedium-range, semi-active radar homing, SAM Surface-to-air missileUnknown
NASAMS 2 The system has been in service since 2003, and a modernisation contract was signed in 2025. ModelOriginImageTypeQuantityNotesFire unitsNASAMS 2 "National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System"Short to medium range air defence fire unit44 fire units ordered in 2003.
Modernisation to the standard NASAMS 2+ ordered in 2025 (€410 million), planned to enter service in 2027.
Note: 1 fire unit purchased by the air force to replace the Spada 2000 assigned to the Air Deployment Support Squadron.Fire units compositionLCHR M-1 0-1 (Also known as Mk-I launcher)NASAMS missile launcher8 (4 additional planned)2 launchers per fire unit.
To be modernised to the Mk-II launcher standard, and a third launcher to be added by fire unit.
Note: 3 additional for the air force for the fire unit purchased by the air force.Kongsberg FDC Fire Distribution Center(illustration)Command center4To be modernised with the shift to the standard NASAMS 2+.
Note: 1 additional purchased by the air force.AN/MPQ-64M1 SentinelFire-control, AESA, 3D, X-band radar4Range of and can track up to 80 targets.
Being modernised to the standard F1 with the modernisation to the standard NASAMS 2+.
Note: 1 additional ordered for the air force.Rheinmetall MSP500 or MSP600(illustration)Passive electro-optical and infrared sensor0 (4 on order)Being added with the modernisation.Communication nodes—Nodal communications systems0 (3 on order)Added to the NASAMS 2+ systems, 3 ordered for the Army.
Note: 1 additional ordered for the air force.MissilesAIM-120 C5 AMRAAMRadar guided missileUnknown6 missiles per launcher.AIM-120 C8 AMRAAMRadar guided missile0 (on order)Additional missiles for NASAMS and for the air force.AIM-120ER AMRAAMRadar guided missile0 (potential purchase)Being considered for longer range and speed.VehiclesIveco-Pegaso M.250.37W & WM—6×6 transport truckUnknown (current fleet)Transporting the missile launchers and the fire control units.———6×6 and 8×8 transport truckUnknown (future fleet)Future trucks to transport elements of the NASAMS system and to transport the munitions.Uro VAMTAC ST5—4×4 armoured vehicleUnknown (future fleet)Armoured vehicle to transport personnels.
MBDA Mistral ModelOriginImageTypeQuantityNotesMBDA MistralV/SHORAD168Mistral missile launchers.
Orders:
1988, 640 missiles Mistral 1, and 168 launchers 2021, 91 Mistral 3 from French stockpile 2023, > 522 Mistral 3 (newly built) 2025: Indra to modernise it with a modern IFF system.MBDA Mistral - URO VamtacMobile V/SHORAD systemsUnknown (10 on order)Used to protect the NASAMS fire units. Installed on the URO Vamtac.
2025: Indra to modernise it with a modern IFF system.SimulatorSMPB Mistral - simulator Simulador Portátil todo tiempo para Misil MistralMANPAD simulator5System supplied by Adaptive Systems.
Oerlikon GDF-007
ModelOriginImageTypeCalibreQuantityNotesFire unitCañón AAA 35/90 GDF-007SHORAD Short range air-defence35×228mm45Purchased in the 1970s, with the SuperFledermaus FCS (fire control system). T
In the years 2000s, the FCS was retired and replaced by a Spanish system the canons were modernised.
Some of the canons were refurbished to launch Aspide missiles (reusing the same chassis and actuators to rotate the turret and to manage the angle.
Each fire unit currently in service is uses:
1 FCS (the SkyGuard or the SkyDor) 2 GDF-007 gunsFire control systemsSkyGuardFCS Fire control system—18Used with two effectors:
1 Aspide missile launcher 1 Oerlikon GDF-007
The Aspide launchers were retired.SkyDor(Same sensor on a ship)FCS Fire control system—27Developed by Oerlikon Contraves with Izar (now known as Navantia) between 2000 and 2007.
It is made of:
1 FDC (fire direction center), a command post with 2 operators 1 SU (sensor unit) made of a radar, an optronic sensor system, and oprical guidance
Ths FDC reuses the SkyGuard and the sensor unit uses the Dorna system from Navantia.
Modernisations:
2022: 2024: Indra to modernise it with a modern IFF system with a IFF5/S system. 2025: corrective maintenance.LPD-20Early warnning radar, low / very low altitude——https://ejercito.defensa.gob.es/materiales/otros/RADAR-LPD-20.htmlCanonOerlikon GDF-007 Cañón AAA 35/90 GDF-007Anti-air autocannon35×228mm92GDF-002 acquired in the 1970s, modernised in several phases to the GDF-005 and then GDF-007 standard in the 2000s by SAPA in collaboration with Rheinmetall Air Defence.
The modern variant was modified:
Auto loader with more rounds New cockpit A generator added 3D target tracking microprocessor connected to a Gun King optronic sight and a laser rangefinder. Fires the AHEAD timed airburst ammunitionsAmmunitionsRheinmetall Air Defence AHEAD Advanced hit efficiency and destruction—Anti-air airburst ammunition35×228mm—Vairants:
PMD062, original round with 152 sub-projectiles (anti-aircraft, anti-missile) PMD330, configured for C-RAM with 407 sub-projectiles