Ejercito del Aire y del Espacio

Between 2005 and 2013, Spanish Air Force completed 43 rotations deployments to Afghanistan with Super Puma helicopters as part of HELISAF (search and rescue) mission saving 1030 lives.

The Ejército del Aire (Spanish Air Force) was officially renamed the Ejército del Aire y del Espacio (Spanish Air and Space Force) on 27 January 2022, following Royal Decree 61/2022. The change reflected Spain’s decision to incorporate space operations into the responsibilities of the armed forces, aligning with similar moves by other NATO members.