Spanish Armed Forces in the context of 1981 Spanish coup d'état attempt

The Spanish Air and Space Force (Spanish: Ejército del Aire y del Espacio, lit. 'Army of the Air and Space') is the aerial and space warfare branch of the Spanish Armed Forces.

The Royal Household of Spain, officially Household of His Majesty the King (Spanish: Casa de Su Majestad el Rey), is the constitutional body whose primary function is to provide aid and support to the King of Spain in the exercise of his royal duties and prerogatives. These include his role as head of state and as commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armed Forces. It functions as the king's executive office.

The household is under the direct authority of the King, who personally selects the individuals he chooses to aid him in his constitutional duties. It is a constitutional institution, as laid down in Spain’s constitution of 1978. While the household is part of Spain’s governmental structure, it is not under the control or influence of any other state institution. The household ensures that the King has the independent means to perform all of his state functions. In particular, it is not under the administrative control of the prime minister or the Council of Ministers. The only authority to whom it answers is the King himself.

The Spanish Army (Spanish: Ejército de Tierra, lit. 'Army of Land') is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies, dating back to the late 15th century.

The Spanish Army has existed continuously since the reign of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella (late 15th century). The oldest and largest of the three services, its mission was the defence of Peninsular Spain, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Melilla, Ceuta and the Spanish islands and rocks off the northern coast of Africa.

The Panzer I was a light tank produced by Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Its name is short for Panzerkampfwagen I (German for "armored fighting vehicle mark I"), abbreviated as Pz.Kpfw. I. The tank's official German ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 101 ("special purpose vehicle 101").

Design of the Panzer I began in 1932 and mass production began in 1934. Intended only as a training tank to introduce the concept of armored warfare to the German Army, the Panzer I saw combat in Spain during the Spanish Civil War, in Poland, France, the Soviet Union and North Africa during the Second World War, and in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Experiences with the Panzer I during the Spanish Civil War helped shape the German Panzerwaffe's invasion of Poland in 1939 and France in 1940. By 1941, the Panzer I chassis design was used as the basis of tank destroyers and assault guns. There were attempts to upgrade the Panzer I throughout its service history, including by foreign nations, to extend the design's lifespan. It continued to serve in the Spanish Armed Forces until 1954.

The Chief of Staff of the Army (JEME) is a military office held by a four-star general in the Spanish Army. Because of this, the JEME is the principal advisor to the Chief of the Defence Staff (JEMAD) on ground warfare and it is also an advisor to the Minister of Defence, the Secretary of State for Defence (SEDEF) and the Under-Secretary of Defence (SUBDEF).

Under the authority of the defence minister, the Chief of Staff of the Army exercises command over the land branch of the Armed Forces.

The Spanish Navy, officially the Armada, is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces and one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Spanish Navy was responsible for a number of major historic achievements in navigation, the most famous being the discovery of North America and the first global circumnavigation. For several centuries, it played a crucial logistical role in the expansion and consolidation of the Spanish Empire, and defended a vast trade network across the Atlantic Ocean between the Americas and Europe, and the Manila Galleon across the Pacific Ocean between the Philippines and the Americas.

The Spanish Navy was one of the most powerful maritime forces in the world from the late 15th century to mid-18th century. In the early 19th century, with the loss of most of its empire, the Spanish navy transitioned to a smaller fleet but it still maintained a significant shipbuilding capability and produced the first fully capable military submarine. In this time, the Spanish navy also contributed to the development of the destroyer class of warship and achieved the first global circumnavigation by an ironclad vessel.

The Royal Guard (Spanish: Guardia Real) is an independent regiment of the Spanish Armed Forces that is dedicated to the protection of the King of Spain and members of the Spanish royal family. It is currently composed of 1,500 troops. While the Guard participates in parades and other ceremonial events, it is a fully functional combat unit. Its members are recruited from the ranks of all three branches of the Spanish Armed Forces and receive the same combat training as regular soldiers.

The Royal Guard is composed of a variety units: a Marine Infantry company from the Navy, a paratroop company from the Air and Space Force and an Infantry company from the Army, among others. Some units served in Afghanistan and Bosnia.

The Emergency Military Unit (Spanish: Unidad Militar de Emergencias, UME; IPA: [uniˈðað miliˈtaɾ ðe emeɾˈxenθjas]) is a branch of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for providing disaster relief throughout Spain mainly, and abroad if required. It is the newest branch of the Spanish Armed Forces.

The Common Corps of the Armed Forces are Spanish military corps that are shared by all the branches of the Spanish Armed Forces providing specific professional expertise. The Common Corps are divided into four units; the Military Legal Corps (legal assistance), the Military Comptroller Corps (audit and accountability), the Military Health Corps (medical personnel) and the Military Bands Corps (military bands). Currently, 3,998 Officers and WOs make up the Common Corps. The educational centres of the Common Corps are part of the Central Defence Academy.