El Copero
Spanish Military Base
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
El Copero is a Spanish military base located in Dos Hermanas, Spain.[1][2]
| El Copero Military Base | |
|---|---|
Base Militar "El Copero" | |
| Dos Hermanas, Seville, Spain. | |
The enttrance of the military base | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Military base |
| Operator | Ejército de Tierra |
| Controlled by | Spain |
| Location | |
 | |
| Coordinates | 37.18°N 6.0°W |
Geography
The base is located next to the river Guadalquivir, one of the major rivers of Spain.[3]
Installations
The base counts with a military heliport.[4][5]
In April 2022, an investment of 43 million euros was made to expand the base.[6] Its infrastructure is famous for being environment friendly.[7]
Regiments and Brigades
Inside this base, the 32 Regiment of Electronic War is located there[8][9] since 1996, when it merged with the Regiment of the same name 22.[10]
El Copero also counts with the Bhelma-IV brigade, a helicopter battalion, which has existed continuously since 1979.[11]
History
In the year 2000, a helicopter accident caused by the Bhelma-IV brigade, which is located there, when it was transporting an injured man from another military base in Ceuta. There were no survivors.[12]
In consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, 25 soldiers received special training to control the health situation in the base.[13] In 2023, around 20 Ukrainian soldiers received special training in the base, with an 80 hours a week program for two weeks.[14]
Awards
In 2020, the base was awarded the Sistema de Acuartelamiento del Éjercito de Tierra.[15] This award made it the best military base in Spain of 2020.[16]
Visits by public figures
In 2002, the King of Spain Juan Carlos I visited the military base.[17] Fifteen years after his father, in 2018, the current King of Spain Felipe VI went to see the installations.[18]
In 2022, the Minister of Defence Margarita Robles visited the place.[19][20] In September 2024, the mayor of Dos Hermanas, Seville, visited the base.[7]