The Air Force participated in Exercise ‘FÉNIX’, organised by the Portuguese Army, whose main objective was to test the response capacity of military and civil forces in the event of a potential large-scale earthquake.

The four-day exercise took place in Lisbon between 17 and 21 November.

Considered the largest national exercise in the field of Emergency Military Support, ‘FÉNIX’ involved the participation of 20 Air Force personnel, who were engaged in responding to various simulated scenarios.

The exercise assessed and tested the coordinated response capacity of the Army's Emergency Military Support System to possible requests from the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) in the event of a large-scale earthquake, in order to create search and rescue, medical support, decontamination and cynotechnical capabilities.

The Air Force's participation focused on the areas of coordination of military support for civil emergencies, command, control and communications using tactical communications, decision support through satellite imagery, military engineering activities and psychological support. This effort was joined by observers in the areas of medical support and hazardous substances and materials.

In addition to the Air Force and the Army, Exercise FÉNIX also involved the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority, Volunteer Firefighters, Lisbon City Council, Portuguese Red Cross, National Republican Guard, Public Security Police, Municipal Police, Special Civil Protection Force, Lisbon Fire Brigade and other Civil Protection Agents, validating procedures and interoperability criteria between all entities involved.