Spain´s CHOD visits the Aerospace Operational Command Headquarters

• The Chief of Defence has supervised the integration of this HQ into Standing Operations

The Chief of Defence (JEMAD in Spanish), Air General Miguel Ángel Villarroya, visited the Aerospace Operational Command Headquarters (MOA in Spanish) this Thursday for the first time. He also visited the Joint Force Air Component (ESP JFAC), both based in Torrejón Air Base.

CHOD was accompanied by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force (JEMA), Air General Javier Salto Martínez Avial; Lieutenant General César Miguel Simón López as Commander of the Aerospace Operational Command and Chief General of the Air Combat Command and the Commander of the Operations Command (CMOPS), Lieutenant General Francisco Braco Carbó.

General Villarroya toured HQ’s facilities and was briefed about MOA´s capabilities and aerospace operations, once they get integrated into standing operations, under operational control of the Operations Command (MOPS in Spanish).

Finally, he signed in MOA's honour book and visited the facilities of the Joint Force Air Component (ESP JFAC).

Aerospace Operational Command

The Aerospace Operational Command (MOA) is the body of the operational structure of the Armed Forces reporting to the CHOD, which is responsible for planning, conducting and monitoring the surveillance, security, control and air policing operations within airspaces of sovereignty, responsibility and national interest, the surveillance of outer space and any other operations in the aerospace field determined by the CHOD. MOA’s tasks are carried out 24/7.

Several units and forces are operationally dependent on the MOA and can be expanded as the situation requires. These units and forces are not only belonging to the Air Forces, but include others from the Army and the Navy.

Standing operations

Standing Operations are the most effective way for maintaining knowledge of sovereignty areas over time, allowing for early detection of threats and facilitating an immediate and viable response to a crisis.

The Land (MOT), Maritime (MOM) and Aerospace (MOA) Operational Commands and the Cyberspace Operational Command (MOC) make up the Standing Commands structure. The aforementioned structure of commands assigns around 1,200 servicemen to these operations daily, seeking to have a good knowledge of the environments, while guaranteeing an immediate response every day during the year to any incident that may arise, in order to preserve the safety of all Spaniards.

Joint Force Air Component (ESP JFAC)

The Joint Force Air Component is the national air command and control structure in those military operations other than standing ones. It is responsible for coordinating and integrating air capabilities in a complex joint scenario, being able to carry out command and control actions in both national and international air operations.

The ESP JFAC currently coordinates military activities of the units placed under its command in operation "Misión Baluarte" as it did during operation "Balmis."