Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) Torrejón Commemorates Bulgaria's National Day

• The Ambassador of Bulgaria to Spain Attended the Event

The Ambassador of Bulgaria to Spain, Aleksey Andreev, accompanied by his political affairs advisor, Beriana Ianeva, visited the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) located in Torrejón de Ardoz, as part of the celebration of Bulgaria's National Day. The Centre permanently hosts two members of the Bulgarian Air Force, integrated into the international command structure.

The delegation was received upon arrival by the CAOC Commander, Lieutenant General Juan Pablo Sánchez de Lara, and later attended the military ceremony in commemoration of Bulgaria's National Day, which, due to rain, had to be held indoors.

On this day, the Bulgarian people commemorate their independence from the Ottoman Empire following the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78, when the Treaty of San Stefano was signed on March 3 of that year, recognizing the re-establishment of the Bulgarian state after more than five centuries of Ottoman presence.

In his speech, Lieutenant General Sánchez de Lara acknowledged ‘the significant efforts Bulgaria is making to enhance its commitment to the air defense mission in Southern Europe’. Measures include replacing its early warning radars, upgrading its MiG-29 fighter aircraft to the more modern and Western F-16 Block 70s, and enhancing its bases, particularly Graf Ignatievo and Bezmer, with the former regularly used by NATO.

In his statement, Ambassador Andreev highlighted that 2025 is a year of significant challenges for the Atlantic Alliance, specifically mentioning the importance of solidarity among NATO countries after three years of war in Ukraine. He expressed support for Ukraine and wished for peace to soon prevail, in accordance with the wishes of the Ukrainian people. Additionally, the ambassador emphasized Bulgaria's role as a key player in the security of the Black Sea region, due to its geographical position, and concluded his remarks by expressing gratitude to the allied nations for their commitment to Bulgaria's security.

COMBINED AIR OPERATIONS CENTRE TORREJÓN (NATO)

The CAOC Torrejón, under the direct command of a Lieutenant General of the Spanish Air and Space Army, has as its main mission 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 centre's mission. Around 120 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).