Torrejón Air Base

Torrejón Air Base is located in Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain, and is operated by the Spanish Air and Space Force. The site originally served as the headquarters for the National Institute for Aerospace Technique (INTA). Following the 1953 Madrid Pacts, the United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) expanded the facility to support Strategic Air Command missions. During the Cold War, the installation hosted the U.S. Sixteenth Air Force and the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing. The 401st TFW utilized the base to deploy F-16 squadrons during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The USAF officially returned the base to Spanish sovereignty on May 21, 1992, although a small American presence remained until February 12, 2004. Between 1996 and 1997, the base briefly supported civil aviation for Líneas Aéreas Navarras.

Stationed units include Ala 12, equipped with EF-18 fighter aircraft, and Ala 45, which maintains Boeing 707 and other aircraft for government and VIP transport. The 43 Grupo operates firefighting aircraft, and the CLAEX conducts armament logistics and flight experimentation. The base also hosts the Air Combat Command (MACOM) headquarters, the Military Emergencies Unit (UME), and the Search and Rescue (SAR) service. International entities located at the facility include the European Union Satellite Centre (SatCen) and the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) Torrejón.

Infrastructure includes the National Institute for Aerospace Technique (INTA), the Center for Aerospace Observation Systems (CESAEROB), and the Aerospace Medicine Instruction Center (CIMA). The base also houses the Spanish Space Surveillance and Tracking Operations Center (S3TOC) and the military Space Surveillance Operations Center (COVE). Non-operational facilities include a residential area, a chapel, and a golf course. In September 2016, the Spanish Ministry of Defense authorized the base to host up to 15 additional aircraft for 50-day periods during contingencies or high-necessity scenarios.