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 ten 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 is located in Belgium
EBFS
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 Lockheed P-38 Lightnings in the ground attack role, and the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron, flying Northrop P-61 Black Widows.[2] 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.

Currently, two fighter squadrons operate out of Florennes air base. 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. EBFS – Florennes Air Base (also PDF). AIP 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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