Ocean Sky 2025

Burning skies above the Canary Islands

The multinational exercise “Ocean Sky” was hosted by the Spanish Air Force at Gando Air Base in the Canary Islands from 20th to 31st October 2025.

Participants

This year’s edition attracted a large number of participants from a variety of countries, far more than in previous years. As well as some Spanish units, Portugal, Greece, Germany, India and the United States took part with some of their fighter jets. As in previous years, refuelling aircraft from Italy, France, Spain and the MMU (Multinational Multirole Unit) operated out of the small air base at Lanzarote to take part in the exercise.

The Exercise

The goal of Ocean Sky 2025 was to improve the participating countries’ interoperability and air control tactics. It also symbolises operational unity among allies. Noteworthy, India, a non-NATO member, joined the exercise for the first time ever, adding strategic depth to the multinational effort.

The jets flew two sorties per day: one from late morning to noon and one from afternoon to shortly before sunset. The fact, that clocks were turned back to winter time on the weekend between both weeks, brought some difficult changes, as the aircrafts now’ve arrived in the dark

Gando Air Base

Gando Air Base (Base Aérea de Gando) is a major installation of the Spanish Air and Space Force (Ejército del Aire y del Espacio). It is located on the island of Gran Canaria, directly next to Gran Canaria Airport on the eastern coast of the island. The base is home to the 46th Wing (Ala 46), including the 462nd Fighter Squadron (“Halcones”), as well as transport and search-and-rescue units. Its primary mission is the air defense of the Canary Islands and the surrounding airspace.

The 46th Wing operates a variety of aircraft and is expected to gradually replace its F/A-18 Hornet fighters with Eurofighter Typhoons starting in 2026.

The military use of the Gando area dates back to before World War II. In 1939, a detachment of the Spanish military aviation was stationed there, forming the foundation of today’s air base.
Over the following decades, Gando developed into a key air force base with fighter, transport, and search-and-rescue units. During the 1950s and 1960s, it played a role in regional conflicts such as the Ifni War.
In the 1970s, the base gained increased strategic importance during the decolonization of Western Sahara and the resulting regional tensions.
In later years, Gando served as a strategic support base for NATO and international operations in West Africa, including missions related to the 2013 intervention in Mali.
In 1997, the base was also involved in space-related operations, supporting the launch of the Spanish satellite Minisat 01.

Today, Gando Air Base is considered one of Spain’s most important air force bases, playing a key role in defending Europe’s southern airspace and supporting international missions and exercises.

Spain

Besides hosting the exercise in their country, Spain also took part with many different units

Ala 46 is based at Gando Air Base at Gran Canaria. They are operating a few McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A+ Hornets
The 2025 edition of Ocean Sky was the last one with Gando Hornets, as they are going to be replaced by the modern Eurofighter very soon

Ala 12 from Madrid Torrejón Air Base also participated with some of their Hornets…
incuding two rare doubleseaters

Ala 14 from Albacete Air Base brought some variety with their different tails…
C.16-73 wears a special tail since NTM 2018
And with C.16-66 Ala 14 is celebrating 50 years of anniversary

Ala 15 from Zaragoza Air Base sent some more Hornets…
including this 40 years of anniversary special tail

Ala 11 from Morón Air Base also showed up with a small group of Typhoons.

Germany

The TaktLwG74 sent five Eurofighter Typhoon’s from Neuburg, were the Bavarian Tigers are based. As a big Highlight, they’ve brought their “Castle Tiger” special scheme to the island.

The Castle Tiger

Greece

The 347th SQ “Perseas” from Nea Anchialos joined the exercise with three F-16C and one F-16D.

F-16C
F-16D

India

The biggest highlight of the 2025 ‘Ocean Sky’ edition was the participation of the Indian Air Force. Four Sukhoi Su-30MKI aircraft from the No. 24 Squadron ‘Hawks’ based at Bareilly Air Force Station took part in the exercise.

Portugal

Another highlight was the Portuguese Air Force sending five F-16 aircraft from the 301st Squadron, the ‘Jaguars’, to the Canary Islands. They left for home on Friday, 24th October, after the first week of the exercise.

The United States of America

The Americans had the largest fleet of aircraft at Gando, except for the host nation, Spain. The 48th FW from RAF Lakenheath supported the exercise with twelve F-15E “Strike Eagle”.

The next Ocean Sky edition is planned for late October 2027. The smaller exercise ‘SIRIO’ will be held at Gando Air Base next year.