On Leadership and the Future of NATO's Combined Air Operations Centres — Interview with ESP Lt Gen Juan Pablo Sanchez De Lara

In this episode of The Allied Airpower Podcast, Jose “Houdini” Davis sits down with Lieutenant General Juan Pablo Sánchez de Lara, Commander of NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre-Torrejón, during an in-person visit to Torrejón Air Base in Spain.

CAOC Torrejón is one of NATO Allied Air Command’s key operational command and control nodes, helping task, coordinate, and execute Allied air missions across peacetime, crisis, and conflict. For General Sánchez de Lara, that mission is deeply personal. A Spanish fighter pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours, his career has taken him from the F-5 and Mirage F-1, to NATO operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, staff work at SHAPE, command of the Spanish Air Force Academy, the Canary Islands Air Command, and now command of one of NATO’s most important air operations centres.

The conversation traces the evolution of NATO Airpower from Cold War-era air policing to today’s broader air defence challenge. General Sánchez de Lara explains that NATO must now be ready for a wider spectrum of threats — from traditional military aircraft to UAVs and one-way attack drones — while integrating capabilities across nations, domains, and command structures.

That makes Eastern Sentry especially relevant. The episode frames NATO’s enhanced Vigilance Activity, Eastern Sentry, as part of a wider shift in posture and mindset: deterrence today depends on speed, integration, trust, and the ability to move from peacetime to crisis or conflict when required.

A major theme throughout the discussion is integration. For General Sánchez de Lara, the first word in Integrated Air and Missile Defence is the most important one. Integration is not only about technology; it is about trained people, resilient systems, shared doctrine, national trust, and the ability to make timely decisions when time matters most.

The episode wraps up with a more personal and human look at the General behind the command. From fighters to football, the conversation closes with an authentic exchange about Spain, family, what is ‘real’ football, and the friendly rivalries that make Allied relationships real. It is a reminder that NATO is built not only on capabilities and command structures, but also on trust, humor, and the relationships that make multinational service work.

Recorded Tuesday, 21 April 2026.

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