▁Arm ada ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁operate ▁from ▁its ▁bases ▁in ▁M ál aga ▁and ▁Cart ag ena ▁without ▁being ▁allowed ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁har bor ▁facilities ▁at ▁Gib ral tar ▁and ▁Tang iers . ▁Moreover , ▁the ▁Navy ' s ▁Aer on á ut ica ▁Naval ▁plan es ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁h inder ▁the ▁massive ▁air l ift ▁of ▁troops ▁from ▁Spanish ▁Mor oc co ▁undert aken ▁by ▁the ▁re bel ▁side . ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁world ' s ▁first ▁long - range ▁combat ▁air l ift ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁achieved ▁using ▁mostly ▁Ju ▁ 5 2 ▁plan es ▁provided ▁by ▁Hitler ▁during ▁the ▁German ▁re - arm ament ▁phase . ▁Following ▁the ▁Ex ped ición ▁al ▁Mar ▁Cant á br ico , ▁a ▁naval ▁operation ▁that ▁entered ▁the ▁Bay ▁of ▁B isc ay ▁in ▁September ▁and ▁October ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁the ▁Republican ▁Navy ▁became ▁mainly ▁conf ined ▁to ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Sea , ▁its ▁operations ▁in ▁the ▁Bay ▁of ▁B isc ay ▁were ▁taken ▁over ▁by ▁the ▁Bas que ▁A ux ili ary ▁Navy . ▁By ▁late ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁however , ▁the ▁whole ▁northern ▁coast ▁was ▁lost ▁following ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁Ast ur ias ▁and ▁many ▁ships ▁were ▁seized ▁by ▁the ▁reb els , ▁including ▁destroy er ▁C í scar , ▁which ▁after ▁being ▁ref urb ished ▁was ▁made ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁National ist ▁Navy . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁defeat ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Republican ▁fleet ▁on ▁ 7 ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 7