Exercise TAD 21-01 conducted by Combined Air Operations Centre Torrejón ends

Torrejon Advantage Drill 21-01 (TAD 21-01) has been completed at CAOC Torrejón HQ. This Command Post Training Exercise (Command Post-CPX) simulates the planning (CPD Phase) and execution (COD Phase) of a "Small Joint Operation-Air Heavy" (SJO-AH) resulting from the activation of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. The planning phase took place from March 22 to 26 and the execution phase from April 12 to 16.

The purpose of TAD 21-01 is to train CAOC Torrejón personnel in the operational and tactical management of a high-intensity crisis, on a joint-combined environment (400 take offs per day) within the scope of a JFAC HQ, based on a hybrid conflict.

In addition to CAOC Torrejón staff, personnel from other Alliance member countries (Spain, United States, France, Greece and Croatia) are also participating in the exercise; achieving standardisation on techniques, tactics and procedures to be applied. There are roughly 100 participants in this exercise, which is a great success, especially with all the current restrictions in place due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The main purpose of Combined Air Operations Centre Torrejón, commanded by an Spanish Air Force lieutenant general, is to plan, direct, coordinate, supervise, analyse and report on air defence operations in southern Europe, of the assigned assets to it in peace, following the directives of NATO's air component.

The Spanish Armed Forces are making an important contribution to the mission conducted by this facility. Roughly 120 military personnel are assigned to the CAOC itself, as well as to the National Support Element (NSE) and the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA), which provides permanent support to CAOC-TJ.