Florennes Air Base

Florennes Air Base (ICAO: EBFS) is a Belgian Air Component military airfield located 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) east southeast[1] of Florennes, a Walloon municipality of Belgium. It is home to the 2nd Tactical Wing, operating F-16 Fighting Falcons. It also used to be the home to the Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP), a joint training program formed by 10 NATO members. On July 31, 2009, TLP moved to Albacete in Spain.

Florennes Air Base

(Advanced Landing Ground A-78)
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OperatorBelgian Air Component
LocationFlorennes, Wallonia, Belgium
Built1936
Elevation AMSL935 ft / 285 m
Coordinates50°14′36″N 004°38′45″E
Map
EBFS
Location in Belgium
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
08L/26R 3,385 11,106 Asphalt
08R/26L 2,250 7,382 Asphalt
Sources: Belgian AIP[1]

Units

During World War II, German Luftwaffe fighter units operated from here, including Ju 88 and Bf 110 night fighters, and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 day fighters. It was captured in September 1944, after which Allied units operating from here included the USAAF's 430th Fighter Squadron, flying Lockheed P38 Lightnings in the ground attack role, and the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron, flying Northrop P-61 Black Widows.[2] From 1984-1990, the US Air Force 485th Tactical Missile Wing was located at Florennes, deploying the BGM-109 Ground Launched Cruise Missile system, which were removed in 1989 as part of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

Currently, two fighter squadrons operate out of Florennes Airbase. 1 Squadron, which was started in 1917 and 350 Squadron, founded in the UK in 1942 during the Second World War. Both units fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

Notable incidents

On 11 October 2018 a Belgian Air Force F-16 caught fire during maintenance works at the base. The fire, reportedly caused by the accidental firing of a canon, completely destroyed that aircraft. A second F-16 received collateral damage.[3][4]

See also

References
  1. AIP for EBFS – Florennes Air Base from Skeyes
  2. Zeno's Warbird Videos, "430th Fighter Squadron 'Back Door Gang'P38s"
  3. "Belgian Air Force F-16 destroyed by fire during maintenance - Collateral damage on second F-16 - Aviation24.be". 12 October 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  4. Werth, Elizabeth. "Technician Accidentally Sets off an F-16 Cannon, Blows Up Another F-16". Retrieved 14 October 2018.



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