Structure of the Spanish Air Force
The article provides an overview of the entire chain of command and organization of the Spanish Air Force as of 2018 and includes all currently active units. The Spanish Air Force is commanded by the Air Force Chief of Staff or "Jefe de Estado Mayor" in Madrid.
The source for this article is .
Historical background
A Government decree dated 2d October 1935 of the Spanish Republican Government that placed the Dirección General de Aeronáutica under the authority of a specific ministry, known then as the War Ministry, Ministerio de la Guerra, instead of being under the Presidencia del Gobierno. Following that decree, the Air Force regional units became restructured in 1936. Accordingly, the Spanish Navy-based Escuadra model was replaced by Región Militar divisions which was operative until for all of the 20th century. Nowadays the Spanish Air Force is still under a separate ministry, the Ministerio de Defensa.After the Spanish Civil War the bulk of the Spanish Armed Forces changes were introduced within the regional structure, following which all relevant air bases would be withdrawn from Catalonia, a former key region in the development of the Aeronáutica Militar, the Spanish Air Force in its early days.
Even though before and during the Civil War important air bases had been established in or around Barcelona, like the Aviación Naval, henceforward the whole northeastern area of Spain would be left with mere token presence of the Spanish Air Force. The situation is similar in the Basque Country as well, with the difference that there had not been any important air bases there before the conflict that shaped the present structure. While Galicia has no significant Air Force Base within its territory, it has nevertheless a very important Naval Base at Ferrol.
Structure
The Air Force Chief of Staff commands all units of the Spanish Air Force from the headquarter in Madrid.- Air Force Chief of Staff
- * Air Force Headquarters in Madrid
- * Combat Air Command at Torrejón Air Base
- * General Air Command in Madrid
- * Canary Islands Air Command in Las Palmas
- * Logistic Support Command in Madrid
- * Personnel Command in Madrid
- * Economic Affairs Directorate in Madrid
Air Force Headquarters
- Air Force Headquarters in Madrid
- * Air Force Staff
- * Air Force Chief of Staff Cabinet
- * Technical Services, Information Systems and Telecommunications Service
- * Air Force Historical and Cultural Service
- ** Aeronautics and Astronautics Museum
- ** Aeronautical History and Culture Institute
- * Air Force Legal Advice
- * Central Intervention Delegate
- * Air Force Headquarters Support Grouping
- ** Security Group
- *** Honor Guard
- ** Support Group
- ** Transport Squadron
- ** Air Force Headquarters First Aid Station
- ** Air Force Headquarters Pharmacy and Optrician
Combat Air Command
- Combat Air Command at Torrejón Air Base
- * Combat Air Command Headquarter at Torrejón Air Base
- ** Combat Air Command General Staff
- ** Air Operations Center / NATO CAOC Torrejón, responsible for NATO's Integrated Air Defense System South of the Alps
- * Command and Control Systems Headquarter at Torrejón Air Base
- ** Central Command and Control Group at Torrejón Air Base
- ** Northern Command and Control Group at Zaragoza Air Base
- ** Mobile Air Control Group at Tablada Air Base
- ** Operational Air Traffic Group at Torrejón Air Base
- ** 1st Air Surveillance Squadron radar station at Air Station El Frasno
- ** 2nd Air Surveillance Squadron radar station at Air Station Villatobas
- ** 3rd Air Surveillance Squadron radar station at Air Station Constantina
- ** 4th Air Surveillance Squadron radar station at Air Station Roses
- ** 5th Air Surveillance Squadron radar station at Air Station Aitana in Alcoy
- ** 7th Air Surveillance Squadron radar station at Air Station Puig Major in Sóller
- ** 9th Air Surveillance Squadron radar station at Air Station Motril
- ** 10th Air Surveillance Squadron radar station at Air Station Barbanza in Noia
- ** 11th Air Surveillance Squadron radar station at Air Station Alcalá de los Gazules
- ** 12th Air Surveillance Squadron radar station at Air Station Espinosa de los Monteros
- ** 13th Air Surveillance Squadron radar station at Air Station Sierra Espuña in Totana
- * Air Mobility Headquarter at Zaragoza Air Base
- * Special Air Operations and Personnel Recovery Headquarter
- * National Component at NATO's Tactical Leadership Programme at Albacete Air Base
- * National Component at the European Tactical Airlift Center at Zaragoza Air Base
- 11th Wing and Morón Air Base Command
- * 111th Squadron with Eurofighter Typhoon
- * 113th Squadron with Eurofighter Typhoon
- * 22nd Air Force Group Squadron with P-3M Orion maritime patrol aircraft
- 12th Wing at Torrejón Air Base
- * 121st Squadron with EF-18A Hornet
- * 122nd Squadron with EF-18A Hornet
- 14th Wing and Albacete Air Base Command
- * 141st Squadron with Eurofighter Typhoon
- * 142nd Squadron with Eurofighter Typhoon
- 15th Wing at Zaragoza Air Base
- * 151st Squadron with EF-18A Hornet
- * 152nd Squadron with EF-18A Hornet
- * 153rd Squadron with EF-18A Hornet
- 31st Wing at Zaragoza Air Base
- * 311th Squadron with A400M Atlas
- * 312th Squadron with C-130H Hercules
- 35th Wing at Getafe Air Base
- * 351st Squadron with CASA C-295
- * 352nd Squadron with CASA C-295
- 37th Wing and Villanubla Air Base Command
- * 371st Squadron with CASA C-212 Aviocar
- 45th Air Force Group at Torrejón Air Base with Airbus A310 and Dassault Falcon 900
- 47th Mixed Air Force Group at Torrejón Air Base with C-212 Aviocar and Falcon 20
- 48th Wing at Cuatro Vientos Air Base
- * 402nd Squadron with SA330 Puma and AS332 Super Puma helicopters
- * 803rd Squadron with CN-235D planes and AS332 Super Puma helicopters
- Parachute Sappers Squadron at Alcantarilla Air Base
- * Special Forces Company
- * Operational Support Company
- * Training Company
- Air Deployment Support Squadron at Zaragoza Air Base
- * Ground Defense and Combat Search and Rescue Company
- * SHORAD Company
- * Transport Company
- * General Support Company
- Second Air Deployment Support Squadron at Morón Air Base
- * Ground Defense and Combat Search and Rescue Company
- * Transport Company
- * General Support Company
- Medical Air Evacuation Unit at Torrejón Air Base
- Deployment Support Medical Air Unit at Torrejón Air Base
- Deployment Support Medical Air Unit at Zaragoza Air Base
- Bardenas Training Range in Bardenas Reales
General Air Command
- General Air Command in Madrid
- * Rescue Coordination Center at Torrejón Air Base
- * 43rd Air Force Group at Torrejón Air Base with Canadair CL-215 and Canadair CL-415
- * 49th Wing at the Son San Juan Air Base
- ** Balearic Islands Rescue Coordination Center
- ** 801st Squadron with CN-235D planes and AS332 Super Puma helicopters
- * Málaga Air Base and Military Airport Command of Málaga Airport
- * Santiago Military Aerodrome and Military Airport Command of Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, and Vigo airports
- * Military Airport Command of Melilla Airport
- * Cuatro Vientos Air Base Command
- * Torrejón Air Base Command and Military Airport Command of Madrid-Barajas Airport
- * Zaragoza Air Base Command and Military Airport Command of Zaragoza, Logroño–Agoncillo and Huesca–Pirineos airports
- * Getafe Air Base Command
- * Tablada Air Base Command and Military Airport Command of Seville and Jerez airports
- * Pollença Military Aerodrome in Port de Pollença
- * Cartography and Photography Center at Cuatro Vientos Air Base
- ** Cartography and Photography Group
- *** Cartography Squadron
- *** Photography and Support Squadron
- *** Training Squadron
- ** Aircraft Group at Getafe Air Base
- *** 403rd Squadron with CN-235 and Cessna Citation V planes
- *** 409th Squadron with C90 King Air
- *** Maintenance Flight
- * Aerospace Observation Systems Center at Torrejón Air Base
- ** Operational Group
- ** Technical and Support Squadron
- * Communication Group at Getafe Air Base
- ** 1st Communication Squadron provides C4 services to units at Getafe Air Base
- ** 2nd Communication Squadron provides C4 services to the air force's headquarter and the General Air Command headquarter
- ** 3rd Communication Flight at the Alto de los Leones Air Detachment
- ** 4th Communication Flight at the El Vedat Air Detachment
- ** 6th Communication Flight at the La Muela Air Detachment
- ** Microwave Squadron maintains the air force's Microwave Network
- ** Support Squadron
Canary Islands Air Command
- Canary Islands Air Command in Las Palmas
- * Canary Islands Air Command Headquarters Group in Las Palmas
- * 21st Air Surveillance Squadron radar station in Vega de San Mateo
- * 22nd Air Surveillance Squadron radar station in Haría
- * Lanzarote Military Aerodrome in San Bartolomé
- * 46th Wing and Gando Air Base Command
- ** Warning and Control Group
- *** Canary Islands Air Combat Center
- ** 462nd Squadron with F/A-18 Hornet fighters
- ** Canary Islands Rescue Coordination Center
- ** 802nd Squadron with CN-235D planes and AS332 Super Puma helicopters
Logistic Support Command
- Logistic Support Command in Madrid
- * Logistic Support Command Staff
- * Procurement Directorate procures material and services as needed by the other MALOG directorates
- * Logistic-Operational Maintenance and Support Directorate manages the logistic support for air force units
- * Engineering and Infrastructures Directorate manages aeronautical and infrastructure engineering
- ** DIN Detachments in Albacete, Palma de Mallorca, Seville and Zaragoza
- * Air Force Logistic Centers
- * Military Aircraft Accidents Technical Investigation Commission
- Armament and Experimentation Logistics Center at Torrejón Air Base with C-101 Aviojet, C-212 Aviocar, and EF-18A Hornet
- Quartermaster Logistics Center at Torrejón Air Base
- Support Materiel Logistics Center at Getafe Air Base
- Communications Materiel Logistics Center at Getafe Air Base
- Aerial Maintenance Center Albacete at Albacete Air Base
- Aerial Maintenance Center Madrid at Cuatro Vientos Air Base
Personnel Command
- Personnel Command in Madrid
- * Personnel Command Staff
- * Planning and Organization Section, to develops the personnel doctrine and corresponding legislation.
- * Air Warfare Center develops the military doctrine of the air force and communicates it to the personnel
- * Personnel Directorate tasked with personnel management and military recreational centers
- * Education Directorate tasked with managing the air force's educational centers
- * Health Directorate tasked with managing health care, medical supplies and medical research
- ** Aerospace Medicine Instruction Center at Torrejón Air Base
- *** Military and Civil Personnel Medical Examination Section
- *** Physiology and Aeromedical Training Section
- *** Instruction and Teaching Section.
- *** Plans and Research Section
- *** Prevention and Flight Safety Section
- General Air Academy at San Javier Air Base
- * 791st Squadron with T-35C Tamiz
- * 793rd Squadron with C-101 Aviojet
- Basic Air Academy at Military Aerodrome of León
- Aeronautical Techniques School at Torrejón Air Base
- Command, Control and Telecommunications Techniques School at Cuatro Vientos Air Base
- Matacán Schools Group and Matacán Air Base Command
- * Training Group with C-101 Aviojet and CN-235 planes
- * Support Group
- * Materiel Group
- * Unmanned Aerial Systems School
- * Air Traffic School
- * Military Transport School
- Security, Defense and Support Techniques School at Zaragoza Air Base
- Military Parachute School at Alcantarilla Air Base
- 23rd Wing at Talavera la Real Air Base
- * 231st Squadron with F-5M Freedom Fighter
- * 232nd Squadron with F-5M Freedom Fighter
- 42nd Air Force Group at Villanubla Air Base with F33C Bonanza
- 78th Wing at Armilla Air Base
- * 781st Squadron with Sikorsky S-76
- * 782nd Squadron with EC 120 Colibri
Economic Affairs Directorate
- Economic Affairs Directorate in Madrid
- * Economic Affairs Directorate Staff
- * Accounting and Budget Sub-Directorate
- * Economic Management and Contracting Sub-Directorate