Visit of the Portuguese Air Force Air Commander to the Combined Air Operations Centre-Torrejón

• The General held a meeting with the Portuguese community stationed at the CAOCT at the end of his visit

The Portuguese Air Force  Commander, Lieutenant General António José De Matos Branco, has visited the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre in Spain (CAOCT).

The General was welcomed on his arrival by the Commander-in-Chief of the Unit, Lieutenant General Fernando de la Cruz, the Deputy Head of the CAOCT, Brigadier General Evangelos Tzikas of the Greek Air Force and the Head of Operations, Brigadier General Fernando Costa of the Portuguese Air Force.

After a brief working meeting, the CAOCT Commander-in-Chief made a presentation to the Portuguese General regarding the mission and capabilities of the centre, also addressing the way the centre operates and the coordination of the resources transferred by the nations to the CAOC Torrejón for the management of air incidents that take place in the area of responsibility.

At the end of the official visit, General Branco held a meeting with the Portuguese personnel assigned to the CAOCT, thanking them for their contribution to the defence of allied airspace.

Combined Air Operations Centre Torrejon (NATO)

The main mission of the Combined Air Operations Centre Torrejon, under the direct command of a Lieutenant General of the Spanish Air Force, is to plan, direct, coordinate, supervise, analyse and report on air defence operations in southern Europe, with the resources that nations assign to the Alliance in peacetime, following the guidelines of NATO's Air Component Command, on which it depends.

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 itself, as well as in the National Support Element (NSE) and the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) Unit.