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The 1953 accord took the form of three separate executive agreements that pledged the United States to furnish economic and military aid to Spain.[1] The United States, in turn, was to be permitted to construct and to utilize air and naval bases on Spanish territory[1] (Naval Station Rota, Morón Air Base, Torrejón Air Base and Zaragoza Air Base). The US Joint Chiefs of Staff saw these bases and the resulting military alliance with Spain as a necessary military option to allow an orderly retreat of its troops from Central Europe in case of Soviet attack on Western Europe.[2]
Although not a full-fledged military alliance, the pact did result in a substantial United States contribution to the improvement of Spain's defense capabilities.[1] During the initial United States fiscal years 1954 to 1961 phase, military aid amounted to US$500 million, in the form of grants.[1] Between 1962 and 1982, a further US$1.238 billion of aid in the form of loans (US$727 million) and grants (US$511 million) was provided.[1] During the period 1983 to 1986, United States military aid, entirely in the form of sales under concessional credit terms, averaged US$400 million annually, but it declined to slightly more than US$100 million annually in 1987 and in 1988.[1] The military credits were scheduled to be phased out in the fiscal year 1989, in keeping with Spain's growing self-sufficiency in national defense.[1] More than 200 officers and NCOs of the Spanish Armed Forces received specialized training in the United States each year under a parallel program.[1]
