CAOC Torrejón acts as ‘Deputy Commander Air’ on exercise 'Ramstein Ambition 2021'

• The new NATO operational procedure is implemented for the first time with a DCDR-Air

Exercise Ramstein Ambition 2021 (RAAM 21), led by the NATO Air Component Command Headquarters (HQ AIRCOM) completed its goals.

During this exercise, the new operational procedure shown in the air command and control operating concept (AIRC2 CONOPS) was put into practice for the first time for a stage of transition to a crisis. According to this procedure, AIRCOM commander can delegate specific functions at the operational level to a Deputy Commander Air (DCDR-Air), a role that CAOC TJ played to contribute to the joint campaign in different geographically separated areas of operations.

In addition to CAOC Torrejón personnel, 61 military personnel from 17 Alliance member countries (Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Slovakia, Spain, the United States, Estonia, France, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Turkey and the United Kingdom) have participated to guarantee interoperability in the techniques, tactics and procedures to be used.

Lieutenant General De la Cruz, head of CAOC TJ, stated that the success of this exercise reinforces the ability of the Atlantic Alliance to participate in future operations, while increasing cohesion and team spirit, especially in exceptional circumstances such as those arisen from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The main purpose of CAOC Torrejón, commanded by a 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.