Zaragoza Air Base
Encyclopedia
Zaragoza Air Base was a NATO military airbase located near Zaragoza
, Spain
. It was located 16 kilometres (10 mi) west of Zaragoza, 270 km (168 mi) west of Barcelona
, and 262 km (163 mi) northeast of Madrid
.
It was closed as a NATO base in in April 1992. Afterwards, it was redeveloped into Zaragoza Airport
.
engineers upgraded the facility for temporary or intermediate use as a war standby base. The first U.S. construction project included strengthening the existing 3024 m (9,921 ft) runway and adding 304 metre overruns at each end. Work on a new concrete runway, 61 metre, with 61 metre overruns at each end, began in 1956 and was completed in 1958.
Zaragoza was one of three major USAF Cold War airbases in Spain, the others being Torrejón Air Base
near Madrid
and Morón Air Base
near Seville
.
, to the United States Air Force
Strategic Air Command
on 1 July 1957, with the facility providing operational support for SAC B-47
alert force dispersal. Zaragoza was under SAC's 65th Air Division. Support continued for B-47 operations until 1 July 1964, when Zaragoza AB was placed on standby status with the withdrawal of the B-47 from active service.
Zaragoza AB was further reduced to modified caretaker status on 1 January 1966 when Sixteenth Air Force was reassigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe
. USAFE assigned the 7472d Air Base Group as a caretaker organisation to the facility.
Although SAC went out of the fighter business in 1957 for all intents and purposes, in 1958 it found itself assigned fighters again. The 431st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
moved from Wheelus Air Base
, Libya
, arriving at Zaragoza in September with North American F-86Ds
and an Air Defense mission.
On 28 September 1960 the 431st transitioned to the Convair F-102A/TF-102B Delta Dagger
and was transferred to the USAFE 86th Air Division
(Defense) at Ramstein Air Base
, West Germany
on 1 July 1960. This transfer was made in order that all USAF fighter assets in Europe could be concentrated in one command. The 431st FIS operated the F-102s until 23 April 1965 when it transferred to the 8th TFW
at George Air Force Base
, California
, transitioned to the F-4C and was redesignated the 431st Tactical Fighter Squadron.
In February 1970 Project Creek Step called for the buildup of Zaragoza AB as a USAFE weapons training site, with actual use of the Bardenas Reales
Air-to-Ground Bombing and Gunnery Range (about 72 kilometre northwest of the base) began in March.
With the closure of Wheelus Air Base, Zaragoza returned to active status on 19 February 1970 with the activation of the 406th Tactical Fighter Training Group. The 406th was elevated to Wing status on 21 July 1972.
Although the 406th had no permanently assigned aircraft, the Wing provided support to all USAFE tactical aircraft which used the Zaragoza range, as well as deployed SAC and TAC units, as well as allied NATO units.
Beginning in September 1972, the 406th also operated the USAFE Tactical Forces Employment School, and in May 1976, began operating the USAFE Instructor Pilot School. Weapons training detachments were principally F-4 aircraft, although F-111s used the wing's ranges for a short period in 1974, and U.S. Navy A-7s
used range facilities in June 1974. During November 1976, the 406th TFTW began full maintenance support of an SAC KC-135
detachment on a permanent basis.
On 12 September 1977, another facet was added to the wing’s training operations when it conducted the first Dissimilar Air Combat Training
(DACT) missions with USAF and U.S. Navy aircraft.
In 1979, two significant events took place, which had an effect on the wing's operation. The first was the closing of the Instructor Pilot School in July, due to broad changes in USAFE's mission and budget restraints. The second event took place in February when the 406th began to implement the Production Oriented Maintenance Organization (POMO) concept. Headquarters USAF designed POMO to establish a maintenance management system which would enhance sortie production by improving the utilisation of maintenance personnel.
On 1 January 1980, the support mission expanded when the 406th assumed responsibility for various functional areas in support of the four USAF tropo-scatter communication sites at Humosa, Menorca, Soller, and Inoges. The wing provided this support in cooperation with the 401st TFW assigned to Torrejón AB. Foremost among the accomplishments of the 406th TFTW during 1981 was the preparation and planning for reception of the F-16 Weapons Training Detachments which began in 1982. The 512nd TFS of the 86th TFW at Ramstein AB recorded its first F-16C fighter deployment to the Bardenas Reales Range on 3 April 1986. This represented the initial use of the C-model F-16 aircraft at the range since the newer F-16s were introduced to the European theatre.
On 15 October 1986, heavy rainfall resulted in flash floods across the base causing heavy damage to facilities and base homes. As much as 15 inches (381 mm) of water and mud flooded into many facilities, causing nearly US$
1 million in damage. Assigned base personnel as well as temporarily assigned weapons training detachment personnel joined in the massive clean-up effort, and fortunately no injuries occurred. In a show of strength and comradeship in overcoming obstacles, Zaragoza also earned the prestigious USAFE Base Appearance Award during that same month.
For the rest of the 1980s, the 406th continued to provide support for USAFE crew training and range training exercises. August 1990 ushered in a period of intense activity, as the 406th and Zaragoza provided major air and ground support for Operation Desert Shield, conducted in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. Thousands of military personnel and tons of equipment passed through Zaragoza en route to the crisis in the Middle East. The base and the wing continued to act as a major aerial port providing support during and after Operation DESERT STORM.
Subject to the same provisions requiring the removal of other units from Spain, the 406th began efforts to end its operations and return Zaragoza to the Spanish government in 1992. The use of the training range ended in December 1991, followed by the turnover of base operations to Spain in April 1992.
The 406th Tactical Fighter Training Wing was deactivated on 1 April 1994 when USAFE ended its presence and returned control to the Spanish government.
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. It was located 16 kilometres (10 mi) west of Zaragoza, 270 km (168 mi) west of Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, and 262 km (163 mi) northeast of Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
.
It was closed as a NATO base in in April 1992. Afterwards, it was redeveloped into Zaragoza Airport
Zaragoza Airport
-Cargo airlines:-Traffic:-External links:* *...
.
History
The construction work on Zaragoza Airport began in September 1954 with the enlargement and improvement of the existing Spanish Air Force Base located there. United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
engineers upgraded the facility for temporary or intermediate use as a war standby base. The first U.S. construction project included strengthening the existing 3024 m (9,921 ft) runway and adding 304 metre overruns at each end. Work on a new concrete runway, 61 metre, with 61 metre overruns at each end, began in 1956 and was completed in 1958.
Zaragoza was one of three major USAF Cold War airbases in Spain, the others being Torrejón Air Base
Torrejon Air Base
Madrid-Torrejón Airport is a commercial airport in Spain. It is a joint-use facility between the Spanish Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Public Works. The civil part is dedicated primarily to executive and private aviation. The airport is located northeast of Madrid, west of Alcalá de...
near Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
and Morón Air Base
Morón Air Base
Morón Air Base is located at in southern Spain, approximately southeast of the city of Seville and northeast of Naval Station Rota. The base gets its name from the nearby town of Morón de la Frontera - although its is actually located in the municipality of Arahal.Morón's massive flight line,...
near Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
.
3794th Air Base Group
The facility, known as Zaragoza Air Base, was transferred from the control of the Joint United States Military Group, Air Administration (Spain), Sixteenth Air ForceSixteenth Air Force
The 16th Air Expeditionary Task Force is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe...
, to the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
on 1 July 1957, with the facility providing operational support for SAC B-47
B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
alert force dispersal. Zaragoza was under SAC's 65th Air Division. Support continued for B-47 operations until 1 July 1964, when Zaragoza AB was placed on standby status with the withdrawal of the B-47 from active service.
Zaragoza AB was further reduced to modified caretaker status on 1 January 1966 when Sixteenth Air Force was reassigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
. USAFE assigned the 7472d Air Base Group as a caretaker organisation to the facility.
431st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
431st Test and Evaluation Squadron
The 431st Test and Evaluation Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Tactical Air Command 57th Fighter Wing stationed at Nellis AFB, Nevada...
moved from Wheelus Air Base
Wheelus Air Base
-See also:*List of airports in Libya-External links:*****...
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, arriving at Zaragoza in September with North American F-86Ds
F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
and an Air Defense mission.
On 28 September 1960 the 431st transitioned to the Convair F-102A/TF-102B Delta Dagger
F-102 Delta Dagger
The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets...
and was transferred to the USAFE 86th Air Division
86th Air Division
The 86th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, being stationed at Ramstein Air Base, West Germany...
(Defense) at Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base is a United States Air Force base in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe and is also a North Atlantic Treaty Organization installation...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
on 1 July 1960. This transfer was made in order that all USAF fighter assets in Europe could be concentrated in one command. The 431st FIS operated the F-102s until 23 April 1965 when it transferred to the 8th TFW
8th Fighter Wing
The United States Air Force 8th Fighter Wing is the host unit at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea and is assigned to Seventh Air Force...
at George Air Force Base
George Air Force Base
George Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located within city limits, 8 miles northwest of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California. The facility was closed by the Base Realignment and Closure 1992 commission at the end of the Cold...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, transitioned to the F-4C and was redesignated the 431st Tactical Fighter Squadron.
874th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
Was assigned to the USAFE Seventeenth Air Force, 65th Air Division. Provided general radar surveillance over Spain. The squadron was headquartered at Zaragoza AB beginning in January 1959. The squadron operated a site near Elizondo, Spain, one of seven Radar sites in Spain operated by the 65th Air Division which provided early warning of unidentified aircraft and controlled NATO airspace over the region. the 874th AC&W and other geographically separated radar squadrons in Spain was supported logistically by the host units at Zaragoza.406th Tactical Fighter Training Wing
Bardenas Reales
The Bardenas Reales is a semi-desert of some 42,000 ha in southeast Navarre . The soils are made up of clay, chalk and sandstone and have been eroded by water and wind creating surprising shapes, canyons, plateaus, tabular structures and isolated hills, called seamounts...
Air-to-Ground Bombing and Gunnery Range (about 72 kilometre northwest of the base) began in March.
With the closure of Wheelus Air Base, Zaragoza returned to active status on 19 February 1970 with the activation of the 406th Tactical Fighter Training Group. The 406th was elevated to Wing status on 21 July 1972.
Although the 406th had no permanently assigned aircraft, the Wing provided support to all USAFE tactical aircraft which used the Zaragoza range, as well as deployed SAC and TAC units, as well as allied NATO units.
Beginning in September 1972, the 406th also operated the USAFE Tactical Forces Employment School, and in May 1976, began operating the USAFE Instructor Pilot School. Weapons training detachments were principally F-4 aircraft, although F-111s used the wing's ranges for a short period in 1974, and U.S. Navy A-7s
A-7 Corsair II
The Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II is a carrier-based subsonic light attack aircraft introduced to replace the United States Navy's Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, initially entering service during the Vietnam War...
used range facilities in June 1974. During November 1976, the 406th TFTW began full maintenance support of an SAC KC-135
KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
detachment on a permanent basis.
On 12 September 1977, another facet was added to the wing’s training operations when it conducted the first Dissimilar Air Combat Training
Dissimilar air combat training
Dissimilar air combat training was introduced as a formal part of US air combat training after disappointing aerial combat exchange rates in the Vietnam War.Traditionally, pilots would undertake air combat training against similar aircraft...
(DACT) missions with USAF and U.S. Navy aircraft.
In 1979, two significant events took place, which had an effect on the wing's operation. The first was the closing of the Instructor Pilot School in July, due to broad changes in USAFE's mission and budget restraints. The second event took place in February when the 406th began to implement the Production Oriented Maintenance Organization (POMO) concept. Headquarters USAF designed POMO to establish a maintenance management system which would enhance sortie production by improving the utilisation of maintenance personnel.
On 1 January 1980, the support mission expanded when the 406th assumed responsibility for various functional areas in support of the four USAF tropo-scatter communication sites at Humosa, Menorca, Soller, and Inoges. The wing provided this support in cooperation with the 401st TFW assigned to Torrejón AB. Foremost among the accomplishments of the 406th TFTW during 1981 was the preparation and planning for reception of the F-16 Weapons Training Detachments which began in 1982. The 512nd TFS of the 86th TFW at Ramstein AB recorded its first F-16C fighter deployment to the Bardenas Reales Range on 3 April 1986. This represented the initial use of the C-model F-16 aircraft at the range since the newer F-16s were introduced to the European theatre.
On 15 October 1986, heavy rainfall resulted in flash floods across the base causing heavy damage to facilities and base homes. As much as 15 inches (381 mm) of water and mud flooded into many facilities, causing nearly US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1 million in damage. Assigned base personnel as well as temporarily assigned weapons training detachment personnel joined in the massive clean-up effort, and fortunately no injuries occurred. In a show of strength and comradeship in overcoming obstacles, Zaragoza also earned the prestigious USAFE Base Appearance Award during that same month.
For the rest of the 1980s, the 406th continued to provide support for USAFE crew training and range training exercises. August 1990 ushered in a period of intense activity, as the 406th and Zaragoza provided major air and ground support for Operation Desert Shield, conducted in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. Thousands of military personnel and tons of equipment passed through Zaragoza en route to the crisis in the Middle East. The base and the wing continued to act as a major aerial port providing support during and after Operation DESERT STORM.
Subject to the same provisions requiring the removal of other units from Spain, the 406th began efforts to end its operations and return Zaragoza to the Spanish government in 1992. The use of the training range ended in December 1991, followed by the turnover of base operations to Spain in April 1992.
The 406th Tactical Fighter Training Wing was deactivated on 1 April 1994 when USAFE ended its presence and returned control to the Spanish government.
Previous names
- Zaragoza Air Station, September 1954-February 1956
- In construction status, 15 February 1955-9 January 1956
- In standby status, 1 July 1954-19 February 1970
Major units assigned
- 7603d Air Base Squadron, 9 January 1956
- Re-designated: 3974th Air Base Squadron, 1 January 1957
- 431st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 6 September 1958-18 May 1964
- 3974th Air Base Grout, 1 May 1958-30 June 1965
- 874th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, 5 January 1959-1 January 1965
- 7602d Support Wing, 1 March-1 July 1960
- 7472d Combat Support Group, 1 June 1964-30 June 1970
- 406th Tactical Fighter Training Wing 1 Juy 1970-30 April 1992