The 600th ABG.-

In the early 1960s, Tactical Air Command began supporting NATO strike commitments at forward operating bases in NATO's Southern Region by rotating fighter squadrons from the United States to bases in Italy and Turkey. By 1966, because of its obligation to the Vietnam War, TAC could no longer support those deployments. Air Force decided to reassign one of TAC's fighter wings to Torrejon to continue the commitment.

Also in the mid-1960s, due to the closure of  U.S. bases in France, Torrejon became the main airlift access point to the Southern Region Mediterranean bases. For the next 25 years, the 401st TFW operated and deployed out of Torrejon. Then, in 1988, a new U.S. Agreement on Defense Cooperation was signed. As a result the 401st TFW (which became the 401st Fighter Wing in 1991) departed the base May 4, 1992.

Another chapter of the base history began that same day with the activation of the 600th Air Base Group, the largest U.S. Air Force, with headquarters located at Aviano AB, Italy. The group's primary mission is to support the 625th Airlift Support Squadron, stationed at Torrejon, and other Air Mobility Command operations in NATO's critical Southern Region. It is also tasked to complete the drawdown of combat forces and conduct an orderly turnover of excess American facilities and equipment to the Spanish Air Force in a manner that retains the goodwill of the Kingdom of Spain.

The 600th ABG is scheduled to be deactivated by Oct. 1, 1994. Thereafter, a small cadre of about 10 AMC members will remain at the base provide AMC the capability to use Torrejon on an as required basis.