496th Air Base Squadron The 496th Air Base Squadron is a United States Air Force unit , stationed at Morón Air Base , Spain . The 496th ABS provides host unit support for the base under the 86th Operations Group , Ramstein Air Base , Germany . Overview . The 496th Air Base Squadron is responsible for the operation and maintenance of Morón Air BAse , Spain , a pivotal power projection base . The 496th maintains a high state of readiness to receive forces in support of UN , NATO , and US contingency and exercise operations . The 496th Air Base Squadron tasks include receipt of forces from the United States with further deployment to other locations as necessary . The 496th Air Base Squadron also supports a Space Surveillance Unit , Detachment 4 , 18th SPSS of Edwards AFB , California . History . On 1 June 1957 , the 3973rd Air Base Group at Morón Air Base was formally activated as part of Sixteenth Air Force assigned to the Strategic Air Command ( SAC ) . In February 1976 , congressional action known as the " Nunn Amendment " identified reductions and realignments , and contracting of most military authorizations at Morón Air Base . Office of the Secretary of Defense ( OSD ) approval followed in April 1976 , and USAFE was directed to implement these reductions . Operation Location - A , 401 TFW was established on 1 June 1976 . Further reorganization took place when OL - A , 401 TFW was discontinued on 31 July 1976 , and Detachment 2 , 401 TFW was established on 1 August 1976 . The 496th ABS traces its origins to Detachment 2 , 401st TFW . USAFE / XP letter dated 16 August 1976 , Subject : Program Guidance Letter Morón Air Base Standby Deployment Base ( SDB ) , implemented reduction actions and expansion of the Base Maintenance Contract ( BMC ) to include Civil Engineering , Services , Transportation , Supply , Housing Supply , Fuels , AGE Maintenance , Fire Protection and Administration . In September 1976 , the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Spain and the United States became effective and reconfirmed the standby status of Morón Air Base . By September 1977 , all phase down actions were completed and the base military , civilian , contractor and tenant population stabilized at 400 , consisting of more than 300 contractor personnel and approximately 30 Det 2 , 401 TFW personnel . On 1 November 1989 , Det . 2 , 401st TFW , became the 7120th Air Base Flight under Sixteenth Air Force . On 1 June 1993 , the 7120th Air Base Flight was re - designated as the 712th Air Base Flight . The 1994 military reductions in Europe resulted in Morón Air Base picking up a regional responsibility for providing support to designated USAF units in Spain , Italy , and Greece with the draw - down of USAFE units at Torrejon AB , Spain , San Vito AS , Italy and Iraklion AS , Greece . Along with the increased responsibility came a new unit designation . The 712th Air Base Flight became the 496th Air Base Squadron on 1 July 1994 , under the newly formed 616th Regional Support Group located at Aviano Air Base , Italy . Since January 2000 , Morón ' s mission has matured to make the base a critical link in supporting the rotation of Aerospace Expeditionary Forces ( AEF ) - - deployed in EUCOM and CENTCOM Areas of Responsibilities . Tanker Task Forces ( KC - 135 and KC - 10 ) , Fighter Units from the Air Force and Marine Corps , and airlifters ( C - 141 , C - 17 and C - 5s ) use Morón as a staging base for AEF operations . The base also frequently welcomes rotating US Army personnel . Morón staffing swells during these operations with temporary duty personnel ( known as Expeditionary Combat Support ) supplementing the contract , civilian and active - duty personnel .