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Spain hand over Command and Control of NATO's Allied Reaction Force to Türkiye

NATO Allied Air Command

Jul 15 2025

RAMSTEIN, Germany -- The Spanish Air and Space Force have concluded their commitment providing high-readiness Air Command and Control capabilities for NATO's Allied Reaction Force, handing over to the Turkish Air Force.

The official handover of the Allied Reaction Force (ARF) Air Component Command took place on July 1, 2025, when operational responsibilities seamlessly transferred from the Spanish to the Turkish Joint Force Air Component (JFAC).

NATO's default JFAC is located at AIRCOM in Ramstein, Seven nations (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States of America) have established NATO Force Structure JFACs that are trained and stood up to serve as a Command and Control unit for the Allied Reaction Force or to take over from the AIRCOM if required. The use of those national air command structures gives NATO's Air and Space Power a comprehensive resilience and can both flexibly handle critical training requirements and provide sustained command and control for ongoing air operations.

From January 1, 2024, the Spanish JFAC served as the Air Command and Control element for the ARF, marking a significant milestone in Spain's contribution to NATO's enhanced deterrence and defence posture across the Euro-Atlantic area.

During their commitment the Spanish JFAC played a pivotal role in Steadfast Dart 25, conducted in February 2025, by planning and scheduling air assets assigned to the ARF. Additionally, they were actively engaged in planning and conducting many air defence and deterrence operations on NATO's Eastern flank within the framework of NATO's enhanced Air Policing and Air Policing activities. These actions aimed to counter any possible threat from all directions safeguarding NATO Airspace.

The Turkish JFAC was certified during exercise Steadfast Dagger, and will take the lead for combined and joint operations that support NATO deterrence and defence missions. The JFAC will be staffed with Turkish air experts who will plan, coordinate and control Allied air operations involving thousands of sorties of Allied fighters, tankers, transport, intelligence and surveillance and airborne control aircraft providing NATO Air Power for collective deterrence and defence of the Alliance for the next 12 months.

The ARF is a high-readiness, multinational and multi-domain force that can be deployed at very short notice to carry out a wide range of missions. The ARF includes land, maritime, air, Special Operations Forces, cyber, space, logistics and strategic communications elements, provided by NATO member countries through a rotational system. Flexible, scalable and multinational by design, the ARF is a clear demonstration of Allied capability, solidarity and resolve.

From 2002 until 2024, the NATO Response Force (NRF) served as the Alliance's primary tool for force generation and rapid response in support of NATO's three core tasks. The establishment of the Allied Reaction Force (ARF) and the NATO Force Model in 2024 was part of a broader restructuring of NATO's high-readiness forces (Read more about the evolution of the ARF (https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_234091.htm).

Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office