Commander of French permanent airspace surveillance centre visits Combined Air Operations Centre Torrejón

• During the bilateral meeting, both Commanders shared ideas on airspace surveillance, planning and conduction of operations

The French Air Force Brigadier General, Etienne Faury, Commander of the Air Brigade for the permanent surveillance of airspace, visited this morning NATO Combined Air Operations Centre in Spain (CAOC TJ).

General Faury, accompanied by the French Air Attaché in Spain, Lieutenant-Colonel Sébastien Latre, was received on his arrival at the CAOC by the Commander, lieutenant general Fernando de la Cruz. After a brief meeting, general de la Cruz explained the CAOC's mission and capabilities. Afterwards, both Commaders discussed with the other Generals appointed to CAOC Torrejón on aspects related to airspace surveillance and cooperation between the two organisations.

The Air Defence and Air Operations Command (Commandement de la Défense Aérienne et des Opérations Aériennes, CDAOA, created in 1994) is one of the four commands of the French Air Force along with the Air Force Strategic Command (CFAS), the Air Force Command (CFA) and the Space Command (created in September 2019).

The CDAOA is responsible for the permanent surveillance of national airspace under the authority of the French Prime Minister. It is also responsible for the planning and conduct of air operations under the authority of the Chief of Defence Staff.

The CDAOA operates in close cooperation and with a high level of integration with NATO's air defence organisation and systems, and in particular with the CAOC- Torrejón.

Combined Air Operations Centre-Torrejón (NATO)

The main mission of CAOC-Torrejón, under the direct command of a Spanish Air Force lieutenant general, is to plan, direct, coordinate, supervise, analyse and report on air defence operations in Southern Europe, following the directives of NATO´s Air Component.

The Spanish Armed Forces make an important contribution to the mission carried out by this centre. Some 120 Spanish military personnel serve in the CAOC as well as in the National Support Element (NSE) and the NATO Communications and Information Agency Unit (NCIA).