Lajes. Defense says procedure was "usual"

The Ministry of National Defense confirmed this Sunday the presence of 12 US refueling planes at the Lajes Base, Azores, indicating that the request from the North American authorities was made on Wednesday and that it was a “usual procedure”.

On Friday, Lusa had confirmed that 12 US Air Force refueling planes were at Lajes Base in the Azores, but sources from the United States Department of Defense did not want to comment on whether the presence of these aircraft was related to the situation in the Middle East.

This presence led to requests for clarification from the Government by several parties, namely PS, Bloco de Esquerda, PCP and Livre.

In a statement, the Ministry of National Defense confirmed the presence of the aircraft on Sunday night, indicating that “on June 18, [Wednesday] the USA requested, through a diplomatic note, authorization for 12 refueling aircraft to use the Lajes Base, which was granted”.

“In this notification, it is stated that the mission of the aircraft is to support the North American Naval Force in the Atlantic”, adds the ministry in the same information note.

The department led by Nuno Melo ensures that “this is a standard procedure” and stresses that “under the Cooperation and Defence Agreement between Portugal and the USA, the use of the Lajes Base for the parking or transit of military aircraft is subject to prior authorisation by the Portuguese State” and that the country “grant specific, quarterly or permanent authorisations for overflight and landing, not only to the USA, but to many other countries”.

Based on these authorizations, “the parking of military aircraft is normally notified 72 hours in advance or with shorter notice, due to the unpredictability of some missions,” explains the ministry.

The Ministry of National Defense also states that the planes in the Azores are “aerial refueling planes” and are not offensive air assets.

The Government also clarifies that “no US combat assets have passed through the Lajes Base for over a month” and that apart from this request, issued “through regular and appropriate channels, there has been no further contact by US authorities”.