Javier Núñez de Prado: “Our day to day is to be prepared to whatever faces us”

The Spanish Army is a national symbol with crews on land, at sea and in the air, but the truth is that beyond the spectacular images of their missions, little is known about their work.

Here on our islands, we have the Balearic Naval Sector, which is made up of the naval base in Porto Pi, the one in Mahón and an auxiliary in Ibiza. In total, there are more than 100 people who are in charge of the security of our waters, making sure that the vessels are ready for missions. 

For almost a year now, the Naval Sector of the Balearic Islands has been headed by Captain Javier Núñez de Prado, who visited the Pasión por el Mar studios to tell us about the importance of carrying out exercises at sea to "be prepared for what is to come".

One of the such exercises that takes place every year in the Cabo Blanco area is MINEX, a mine-warfare exercise involving Spanish countermine measures and the permanent NATO grouping, with submarines, aircraft and patrol boats. "We simulate what we might find in reality. The port of Palma is very easy to mine and close. That's why we need a force capable of opening it, because in Mallorca, if we don't receive supplies for seven days, we would be left without supplies," says Núñez de Prado. 

In the end, "our day-to-day work is to be prepared for what is coming," recalls the head of the Balearic Islands Naval Sector, who acknowledges that these practices also serve him personally to put his decision-making to the test. "When you are at sea, you have to make decisions on your own and you have to have a clear head to make the right decisions, because we carry weapons and an incorrect decision can provoke a crisis," he confesses.

The Navy also works to get closer to society and make its work known. In addition to organizing open days and visits to vessels, there is the Naval Regatta Commission, in which they participate in important national competitions, mainly aboard the "AIFOS", their star vessel, with which they will soon participate in the Copa del Rey MAPFRE and in which King Felipe VI is sailing.

As lovers of the sea and sailing, the crew stationed at the Porto Pi naval base have not overlooked the neighboring boat they have had moored at the San Carlos dock this year, the "Ineos Britannia", the prototype of the boat that will take part in the America's Cup next year. "We have been to see the installations, they have incredible electronics that measure everything, I'm sure the results will be excellent," says Núñez de Prado.