Florennes Air Base (French: Base aérienne de Florennes),[2] also known as Base Jean Offenberg, (ICAO: EBFS) is a Belgian Air Component (formerly the Belgian Air Force) military airbase, compliant to STANAG 3712 category 8 (and category 5 during quick reaction alert operations), located 2 nautical miles (3.7 kilometres; 2.3 miles) east-south-east of Florennes,[1] in the Walloon municipality of Belgium. It is home to the 2nd Tactical Wing, operating two squadrons of the General Dynamics F-16. The Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP), a joint training programme for NATO members, was based at Florennes from 1989 to 2009.
Florennes Air Base | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Base aérienne de Florennes | |||||||||
| Base Jean Offenberg, 5620 Florennes, Wallonia in Belgium | |||||||||
 aerial photo of Florennes Air Base, 2018 | |||||||||
 | |||||||||
  Florennes Air Base Location in Belgium | |||||||||
| Coordinates | 50°14′36″N 004°38′45″E / 50.24333°N 4.64583°E | ||||||||
| Type | Military airbase | ||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||
| Owner |  Ministry of Defence | ||||||||
| Operator |  Belgian Air Component | ||||||||
| Condition | operational | ||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||
| Built | 1936 | ||||||||
| Garrison information | |||||||||
| Current commander | Colonel Cedric Kamensky | ||||||||
| Garrison | 2nd Tactical Wing | ||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||
| Identifiers | ICAO: EBFS | ||||||||
| Elevation | 283 metres (928 feet) AMSL | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Source: Belgian Aeronautical Information Publication[1] | |||||||||
History
During World War II, German Luftwaffe fighter units operated from here, including Junkers Ju 88 and Messerschmitt Bf 110 night fighters, and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 day fighters. It was captured in September 1944 and became known as Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) A-78, after which Allied units operating from here included the United States Air Force (USAF) 430th Fighter Squadron, flying Lockheed Lockheed P-38 Lightnings in the ground attack role, and the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) 422nd Night Fighter Squadron, flying Northrop P-61 Black Widows.[3] From 1984 to 1990, the US Air Force 485th Tactical Missile Wing was located at Florennes, deploying the BGM-109G Ground Launched Cruise Missile system, which were removed in 1989 as part of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
In March 1989, the Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP) moved to Florennes. The TLP is a joint training programme, originally formed in 1978 by defence members from six NATO countries at Fürstenfeldbruck near Munich in West Germany, and previously based at Jever from 1979. By the time TLP arrived at Florennes, it consisted of NATO members from ten countries. Whilst at Florennes, the TLP conducted multilateral military flying training courses, and expanded to include creating formalised documentation for NATO doctrines, along with other academic studies relating to allied air forces. On 31 July 2009, TLP moved to Albacete in Spain.[4]
Current units
Florennes Air Base is home two fighter squadrons; 1 Squadron, which was formed in 1917, and 350 Squadron, founded in the United Kingdom in 1942 during the Second World War. Both units fly the General Dynamics F-16.[citation needed] It is also home to the Belgian Defence Aeroclub ASBL.[1]
Notable incidents
On 11 October 2018, a Belgian Air Force F-16AM (registration FA-128) costing €40 million was destroyed by fire at the airbase. During routine maintenance on three nearby F-16s, a technician working on one F-16 accidentally fired its Vulcan M61A1 cannon, the discharged rounds penetrating the fuel tanks of a nearby F-16AM, which had just been fuelled for a training mission, this exploded in a fireball which totally destroyed that aircraft. The explosion also caused collateral damage to two other F-16 aircraft, including the one which discharged its cannon. Two technicians sustained injuries, including hearing loss, and required treatment in hospital.[5][6][7][8][9][10]
See also
References
External links
Media related to Florennes Air Base at Wikimedia Commons- Belgian Defence Force – De Luchtcomponent van Defensie (French & Dutch)
