▁formerly ▁home ▁to ▁US ▁Air ▁Force ▁Torre j ón ▁Air ▁Base . ▁The ▁air port ▁is ▁located ▁ ▁n ortheast ▁of ▁Madrid , ▁ ▁west ▁of ▁Al cal á ▁de ▁Hen ares , ▁and ▁ ▁NE ▁of ▁Torre j ón ▁de ▁Ar do z . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁time ▁approached ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁for ▁the ▁ren eg ot iation ▁of ▁the ▁existing ▁base ▁agreement , ▁which ▁had ▁entered ▁into ▁force ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁for ▁a ▁five - year ▁period , ▁press ures ▁mounted ▁for ▁a ▁reduction ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁military ▁presence ▁in ▁Spain . ▁Commun ist ▁political ▁groups ▁and ▁elements ▁of ▁the ▁P SO E ▁had ▁campaign ed ▁against ▁the ▁bases . ▁Moreover , ▁the ▁base ▁agreement ▁had ▁become ▁a ▁symbol ▁of ▁United ▁States ▁co operation ▁with ▁the ▁former ▁Spanish ▁State . ▁It ▁was ▁important ▁to ▁many ▁Sp ani ards ▁to ▁eliminate ▁v estig es ▁of ▁this ▁history ▁by ▁converting ▁Spain ' s ▁long - standing ▁bil ater al ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁into ▁a ▁mult il ater al ▁undert aking ▁through ▁NAT O . ▁ ▁The ▁outcome ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁refer endum ▁on ▁membership ▁in ▁NAT O ▁committed ▁the ▁Spanish ▁government ▁to ▁negoti ate ▁the ▁reduction ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁military ▁presence ▁in ▁Spain . ▁Spain ▁ins isted ▁that ▁the ▁ ▁F - 1 6 ▁aircraft ▁be ▁removed ▁from ▁Torre jon ▁as ▁a ▁condition ▁for ▁renew al ▁of ▁the ▁base ▁agreement , ▁and ▁the ▁Spanish ▁government ▁threatened ▁to