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CAOC Torrejón accompanies the US contingent on its Independence Day
At Torrejón Air Base, Madrid
July 3, 2024
The event was attended by the US ambassador to Spain.
The Ambassador of the United States (US), Julissa Reynoso, attended the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre in Torrejón de Ardoz (CAOCT) to celebrate her country's bank holidays. The large delegation was welcomed on arrival by the Commander-in-Chief of the CAOCT, Lieutenant General Juan Pablo Sánchez de Lara, and then joined the military ceremony.
In his speech, General Sánchez de Lara acknowledged the enormous commitment of the United States with its wide range of capabilities to defend the skies of its allies in Europe, which demonstrates "its commitment through solidarity, showing that NATO's transatlantic ties are stronger than ever". He also recalled the words of US President Harry Truman in 1949, in which he indicated that NATO's goal was to be free from aggression through the use of force, but to fight actively to promote and preserve peace around the world.
For her part, Ms. Reynoso was delighted to be able to participate once again this year in the raising of her country's flag along with the rest of the US contingent and the large multinational representation of CAOCT personnel. She also recalled Spain's crucial contribution to the United States becoming an independent nation.
The US ambassador referred to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the need for the Ukrainian people to have everything they need to be able to fight for their freedom. In this regard, she agreed with General Sánchez de Lara on the importance of defending the values that characterise the Alliance and which will be ratified once again at the next NATO Summit, as well as thanking all the members of the CAOC for their enormous and invaluable work 365 days a year to guarantee the security of the skies over southern Europe.
TORREJÓN COMBINED AIR OPERATIONS CENTRE (NATO)
The main mission of the Torrejón CAOC, 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 directives of the NATO Air Component Command 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 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 Unit (NCIA).
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