The Combined Air Operations Centre commemorates Bulgaria's National Day

•  The act was attended by the Bulgarian ambassador in Spain.

The Bulgarian Ambassador in Spain, Aleksey Andreev, accompanied by the Political Affairs Counsellor, Albena Gfeller, has visited today the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre at Torrejón de Ardoz (CAOCT).

The delegation has been received upon its arrival by the Commander-in-Chief of the Unit, Lieutenant General Fernando de la Cruz. Later, they have joined the military ceremony in commemoration of the Bulgarian National Day.

In his speech, General De la Cruz acknowledged Bulgaria's contribution to the permanent air surveillance mission conducted by the CAOC to reinforce airspace security on the Alliance's southern flank.

The Bulgarian ambassador, in his intervention, stressed the importance of the permanent work carried out by the CAOC in the collective defence of the Alliance's interests. The ambassador also acknowledged Spain for its firm commitment with its allies, especially with Bulgaria, highlighting the two occasions on which our country has participated in the framework of the NATO mission "enhanced Air Policing" with the deployment of aircraft and troops.

COMBINED AIR OPERATIONS CENTRE TORREJÓN (NATO)

The main mission of CAOC Torrejón, under the direct command of a Lieutenant General of the Spanish Air and Space Army, is to plan, direct, coordinate, supervise, analyse and report on air defence operations in Southern Europe, following the NATO Air Component Command directives on which it depends and with the resources assigned to NATO by the nations in peacetime.

The Spanish Armed Forces make an important contribution to this centre mission. Around 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 Unit (NCIA).