45 Grupo de Fuerzas Aéreas
The 45th Air Force Group (Spanish: 45 Grupo de Fuerzas Aéreas) is a unit of the Spanish Air and Space Force responsible for air transportation of the Spanish royal family, the Prime Minister and high-ranking government officials. In addition, it also transports personnel and material on international missions of the Spanish Armed Forces.
| 45th Air Force Group | |
|---|---|
| 45 Grupo de Fuerzas Aéreas | |
| Active | 1956 – present |
| Country |  Kingdom of Spain |
| Branch |  Spanish Air and Space Force |
| Type | Flying squadron |
| Role | Air transport and air-to-air refuelling |
| Part of | General Air Command |
| Home station | Torrejón Air Base |
| Motto(s) | Cansándonos de acertar (Spanish for 'Tired of getting it right') |
| Aircraft | See Fleet overview |
| Flying hours | 150,000 (2009) |
| Website | Web site |
The unit is based in Torrejón Air Base, 24 kilometres (15 mi) away from Madrid.
Fleet overview
Currently, the 45th Group fleet is composed by 2 customized Airbus A310 in service since 2003 and 5 Dassault Falcon 900 in service since 2004.[1] Since 2021, the Group also operates 3 Airbus A330 MRTT.[2]
| Aircraft | No. of Aircraft | Introduced | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A310 | 2 | 2003 | One is intended for transportation of the King and his family and the other for the travel of the Prime Minister. |
| Dassault Falcon 900 | 5 | 1988 | Short range travel of the Royal family and government officials. |
| Airbus A330 MRTT | 3 | 2021 | Transportation of personnel and aerial refueling. |
Helicopters
Currently, the VIP transport by helicopter is not responsibility of the 45th Air Force Group but of the 402th Air Force Squadron within the 48th Wing.
References
- "Ejército del Aire - Organización - Unidades - Detalle unidad". ejercitodelaire.defensa.gob.es. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
- Revue, Avion (2022-02-27). "El 45 Grupo presenta las capacidades del nuevo A330 MRTT a la Ministra de Defensa". Avion Revue Internacional (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-06-29.