The Spanish armed forces and the COVID-19 epidemic

Abstract

The Spanish armed forces, which is currently one of the oldest in the world, have had an active role in the fight against COVID-19 since March 2020 in Spain, where 50,000 people lost their lives due to the pandemic. Similarly to other EU members, the Spanish government has intended to overcome the crisis with the introduction of state of emergency, curfews, and the biggest domestic military operation of the nation’s history. In the context of these facts and factors, the present study seeks to explore the circumstances of the deployment of the Spanish Armed Forces in the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020, including the most important characteristics of Operation Balmis and Mission Baluarte.