Monte Real Air Base Monte Real Air Base , officially designated as Air Force Base No . 5 ( , BA5 ) , Monte Real , Leiria , Portugal , was initially opened on October 4 , 1959 . The mission of this Air Base is to guarantee the readiness and deployment of the air force units attributed to it , and several operational Squadrons have already been based there , equipped with F - 86 Sabre , Fiat G . 91 , T - 33 Shooting Star , T - 38 Talon and A - 7 Corsair II aircraft . History . In 1958 , the 51st squadron was formed as the first of two F - 86 Sabre squadrons of the new Operational Group 501 . Operational Group 501 , the second fighter group in the Portuguese Air Force , was founded at Air Base 2 but then moved to Air Base 5 after the completion of construction at Monte Real . Adopting the motto " Alcança Quem Não Cansa , " the pilots of Operational Group initially formed two squadrons : the 51st Squadron " " Falcões " " ( Falcons ) and the 52nd Squadron " " Galos " " ( Rooster s ) . Together the squadrons totaled nearly 50 F - 86F combat aircraft . On 4 October 1959 , the President of the Republic Admiral Américo Tomás officially inaugurated Air Base 5 . On 24 December 1981 , a new chapter began at Air Base 5 with the arrival of first nine A - 7P Corsair II fighter aircraft . The number eventually grew to 20 , and these aircraft formed 302 Attack Squadron , taking on the symbols and traditions of the 51st Squadron " " Falcões " . " On 28 June 1984 , during a meeting of the NATO Commission of Infrastructures in Brussels , the aerodrome of Monte Real was formally accepted as NATO infrastructure to be equipped with two attack squadrons of A - 7P aircraft and a future interceptor squadron . On the 25th anniversary of the inauguration of Monte Real Air Base , 4 October 1984 , the 304 Attack Squadron was officially activated and became the second attack squadron with A - 7P aircraft . This squadron became the heir of the traditions , symbols , and deeds of the 93rd Squadron " " Magníficos " " ( Magnificents ) , deactivated at Air Base 9 , in 1973 in Luanda , Africa . On 4 October 1993 , the 201 Squadron was reactivated and equipped with F - 16s . This squadron resumed the mission of Air Defense , and inherited the traditions and symbol of the " " Falcões " . " On November 25 , 2005 , the 301 Squadron was transferred to Air Base 5 from Air Base 11 in Beja . The 301 Squadron received the first F - 16AM ( F - 16A with the Mid - Life Update ) for the Portuguese Air Force . The 301 Squadron maintained the symbol and traditions of the " " Jaguares " " ( Jaguars ) . Work on the Portuguese Air Force ' s F - 16 Mid - Life Update program is carried out at the workshops at Monte Real Air Base , namely the facilities designated as dock 4 ( ) , as well the flight testing of the upgraded aircraft . Tenant units . Monte Real Air Base hosts the 51st Operations Group ( GO51 ) . The GO51 ' s operational fighter squadrons are : Both squadrons fly the F - 16 Fighting Falcon . Infrastructures . The base has one runway with the following characteristics : Ident . : 01 / 19 QFU : 007º / 187º LDA : 8 , 953 ft / 2 . 438 m TORA : 9 , 816 ft / 2 . 743 m Width : 148 ft / 45 m ILS : Yes PCN : 027RAWT Also there are 4 principal apron areas ( A1 to D1 ) to the East of the runway and more than 20 parking bays to the West .