In early April 2025, the 4th Company and the HQ Company elements of the 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade (13e DBLE) took part in an intensive joint exercise with the 2nd Company of the 10th Battalion (X Bandera “Millán Astray”), 4th Regiment of the Spanish Legion. The exercise was held at Camp Álvarez de Sotomayor near Almería, Spain, a military training area equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure for urban warfare simulations.
Over the course of 48 hours of non-stop offensive maneuvers, carried out under the coordination of a joint Franco-Spanish command center, both forces worked closely to enhance tactical interoperability, with a strong focus on urban combat and trench warfare proficiency.
Key training scenarios included night infiltration, coordinated assaults, casualty evacuation, building clearance, and the deployment of armored vehicles such as the VBMR Griffon. The integration of advanced tools like 3D reconnaissance further increased operational realism and efficiency.
For the French legionnaires, the mission served two purposes: preparing the 4th Company for an upcoming urban warfare exercise at CENZUB, an urban warfare training center in Sissonne, France, and reinforcing operational ties with their Spanish counterparts. The professionalism, discipline, and combat spirit shared by both elite units made collaboration natural and effective.
Beyond tactics and training, the exercise strengthened the fraternal bond between the two Legions—two formations united by shared values and a common mission.
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Related posts:
13e DBLE: Exercise with Spanish Legion 2017
13e DBLE: 4th Company in Djibouti in 2024
13e DBLE: Exercise Gevaudan 2025
13e DBLE: Exercise Ares 2024