León Air Base (Aeródromo Militar de León, La Virgen del Camino)

León Air Base is located in La Virgen del Camino, six kilometers west of León, Spain. Established following a Royal Decree on March 18, 1920, the facility was designed by Captain Rafael Ros Müller. Construction was completed in late 1923, and the site was officially inaugurated on April 27, 1929. The base functioned as a stopover for flights between Madrid and Asturias starting in 1924 and hosted Group 21 Reconnaissance and Bombing, equipped with Breguet XIX aircraft. During the Spanish Civil War, the installation served as the headquarters for the German Condor Legion.

The Spanish Air and Space Force operates the base, which shares airfield facilities with the civilian León Airport. Its primary mission is the provision of logistical support and security for deployed Armed Forces air units. The base hosts the Academia Básica del Aire y del Espacio (Basic Air and Space Academy) and the 8th Transmission Squadron. The academy centralizes basic training and specialization for NCOs, specifically in aircraft maintenance and armory. Historically, the base housed the Academy of the Aviation Arm from 1939 to 1949 and the Air Force Specialist School from 1950.

Infrastructure at the site originated with three hangars for 36 aircraft, workshops for 50 vehicles, and barracks for 600 personnel. During the mid-20th century, it included a Maestranza Aérea (Air Maintenance) facility, which remained until its relocation to Cuatro Vientos in 1955. From 2006 to 2018, the base was the site of the Northern Military Disciplinary Establishment, which managed sanctions for personnel ranging from soldiers to lieutenant colonels.

In 2018, the Northern Military Disciplinary Establishment concluded its independent mission, with its facilities and personnel integrated into the aerodrome's command. In March 2025, the facility was officially reclassified from a military aerodrome to the status of an Air Base (Base Aérea).