Spanish helicopters Lobo and Chinook in action in the area of ​​the cold drop disaster

The deployment of the Spanish Armed Forces in the area affected by the cold snap of October 29 includes a contingent of helicopters.

The special military vehicles sent to the sites of the cold drop disaster in Spain
The help from Spanish soldiers, civil guards and policemen to those affected by the cold drop

The Armed Forces have deployed the following helicopters in the Valencia area:

• Army Airmobile Force (FAMET): 3 CH-47F Chinook, 3 AS-532 Cougar and Super Puma, 2 H135 and 1 NH-90 Sarrio.
• Navy Aircraft Flotilla (FLOAN): 2 SH-60F Seahawk from the 5th Squadron.
• Air Force: 2 NH-90 Wolf from 48th Wing.

In addition to these aircraft, there are the H135 helicopters of the Air Service of the Civil Guard and the Air Unit of the National Police Corps. Today we are going to see the tasks of two specific models of helicopters that are part of this deployment. First, we see the NH-90 Lobo sent by 48th Wing, based in Cuatro Vientos (Madrid), which is assigned support, logistics transport and rescue missions in the affected area. The Air Force has published a video today in which we can see these helicopters in action:

Likewise, the Army has published today a video showing the work of its CH-47Fs lifting cars that were swept away by the flood to isolated areas that are difficult to access for military vehicles. These helicopters are part of the Helicopter Transport Battalion V (BHELTRA V), based in Colmenar Viejo (Madrid):

El trabajo de las tripulaciones de los #helicópteros de las Fuerzas Aeromóviles del #EjércitodeTierra sigue siendo fundamental en los esfuerzos de recuperación.
📽️ Un Chinook de las #FAMET ha sido el único medio capaz de trasladar vehículos desde el cauce del río, donde las grúas… pic.twitter.com/vi3Q4X2cc0

— Ejército de Tierra 🇪🇸 (@EjercitoTierra) November 6, 2024

In addition to these types of tasks, BHELTRA V's CH-47F Chinooks are also being used for logistics work. On November 1, the Ministry of Defense published this video of one of these heavy helicopters transporting water, food rations and clothing donated by Caritas to the affected area:

Dos helicópteros CH-47 Chinook #FAMET @EjercitoTierra han despegado desde su base en Colmenar Viejo, #Madrid, rumbo a Valencia con provisiones para los afectados por la #DANA: agua, raciones de alimentos y ropa donada por Cáritas Colmenar. pic.twitter.com/H38c9W1iEr

— Ministerio Defensa (@Defensagob) November 1, 2024

These helicopters have also been used to transport personnel and to bring 41 search dogs belonging to different military canine units to the area, as we can see in this video published by the Ministry of Defense on November 4:

Nuestros compañeros de cuatro patas, #Turco y #Thor de @UMEgob, se unen al despliegue de 41 perros 🐕‍🦺 en labores de búsqueda. Helicópteros de las #FAMET @EjercitoTierra colaboran en el traslado de refuerzos para apoyar la recuperación de las zonas afectadas por la #DANA. pic.twitter.com/2rYE3n0gud

— Ministerio Defensa (@Defensagob) November 4, 2024

You can see some screenshots of these videos here. Here we see one of the NH-90TTH Lobo of the 48th Wing of the Spanish Air Force at its base in Cuatro Vientos, at the beginning of the deployment. This helicopter is equipped with two rescue cranes next to the hatch on its starboard side for rescue missions:

Members of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) unloading supplies from one of the NH-90s of Wing 48 in the area affected by the cold snap.

The cockpit interior of an NH-90 Lobo on a low-light flight. The ability of these helicopters to make night flights is very important on a mission like this.

A forklift loading material onto a BHELTRA V CH-47F at the "Coronel Maté" Base in Colmenar Viejo.

A picture showing the inside of a CH-47 with material loaded for delivery to the affected area. This helicopter can carry up to 10,886 kilograms of cargo.

The lower hatch of a CH-47F during the lifting of a car. These helicopters have a triple-hook system on their underside that allows them to carry external loads too bulky to be carried inside the aircraft.