Torrejon AB

Torrejón Air Base Base Aérea de Torrejón
Part of Spanish Air Force (SPAF) (Spanish: Ejército del Aire; Army of the Air")
Located in Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain
A Spanish Air Force EF-18A Hornet
Torrejón AB Location of Torrejón Air Base, Spain
Coordinates	40°29′48″N 003°26′45″W / 40.49667°N 3.44583°W / 40.49667; -3.44583Coordinates: 40°29′48″N 003°26′45″W / 40.49667°N 3.44583°W / 40.49667; -3.44583
Type	Air Force Base
Site history
Built	1953
In use	1953–present
Garrison information
Occupants	Torrejón de Ardoz

Torrejón Air Base (IATA: TOJ, ICAO: LETO) (Base Aérea de Torrejón de Ardoz) is both a major Spanish Air Force base and the collocated Madrid–Torrejón Airport, a secondary civilian airport for the city and metropolitan area of Madrid.

The air base houses the following units:

Torrejón Air Base was originally the home of the Spanish National Institute of Aeronautics, however following the Pact of Madrid of 26 September 1953, construction began at Torrejón on a new 13,400-ft concrete runway to replace the existing 4,266-ft grass airstrip and on a massive concrete apron and other necessary maintenance and shelter facilities to accommodate the largest United States Air Force bomber aircraft in the Strategic Air Command (SAC) inventory, with the base intended to support SAC Reflex missions.

USAF support activities began under the 7600th Air Base Group located in Madrid in July 1956, to support construction and base organizational functions. Torrejón Air Base opened officially on 1 June 1957 with SAC activating the 3970th Strategic Wing on 1 July 1957. The base hosting Sixteenth Air Force as well as SAC's 65th Air Division (Defense) where it cooperated with Spanish Air Force units in the Air Defense Direction Centers (ADDCs). The 65th Air Division directed base construction, and the establishment of off-base housing and radar sites. The division's fighter squadrons flew air defense interceptions over Spanish airspace. The division also controlled the operations of numerous attached tactical fighter squadrons that were deployed to Spain for temporary duty. Assigned or attached units of the division participated in numerous exercises with the Spanish Air Defense Command, and in some instances, with the U.S. Sixth Fleet.