page_title: Structure of the Belgian Armed Forces in 1989
section_title: Air Force
hierarchical_section_title: Structure of the Belgian Armed Forces in 1989 / Air Force
caption_attribution_description: Brustem, 10 September 1989. BR24 of 42 smaldeel taking off for a demonstration during the open day.
context_page_description: The Order of Battle of the Belgian Armed Forces at the end of the Cold War in 1989 is given below.
context_section_description: The Chief of the Air Force's general staff was tasked with the administrative management of the Belgian air force, as well as with procurement, training and doctrine. In case of war most units would have come under NATO's Second Allied Tactical Air Force (2 ATAF).
  Belgian Air Force, Haren Air Base
  Instruction and Training Command
  Training and Evaluation Center, Sint-Truiden Air Base
  9th Squadron, SIAI-Marchetti SF.260
  33rd Squadron, Fouga CM.170 Magister
  5th Squadron, Goetsenhoven Airfield, SIAI-Marchetti SF.260
  Air Cadets Training, Goetsenhoven Airfield, 6x Piper L-21B Super Cub
  F-16 Operational Conversion Unit, Beauvechain Air Base, 24x F-16B
  Mirage Operational Conversion Unit, Bierset Air Base, 16x Mirage 5BD
  15th Wing, Melsbroek Air Base
  20th Squadron, 12x Lockheed C-130 Hercules
  21st Squadron, 2x Boeing 727-29QC, 2x Dassault Falcon 20E, 6x Swearingen Merlin, 3x Hawker Siddeley HS 748
  Air-defense battery with 6x MIM-23 Hawk launch stations
  40th Squadron, Koksijde Air Base (5x Sea King Mk.48 search and rescue helicopters)
  Zutendaal Airfield, Operation Reforger air field for the US Army's 1st Cavalry Division
  Oostmalle Airfield, Operation Reforger air field for the US Army's 1st Cavalry Division
  Joint Army-Air Force MIM-23 Hawk Training Wing, Lombardsijde, with 2x batteries with 6x MIM-23 Hawk launch stations each
  Air Force Meteorological Service, Haren Air Base
  Belgian Air Force units assigned to Second Allied Tactical Air Force in wartime:
  Control and Reporting Center Bassenge (permanently assigned to 2 ATAF)
  Missile Wing, Düren, FRG
  Wing Staff, Düren
  9th Operations Group, Grefrath, FRG
  54th Squadron, Xanten, (9x MIM-14 Nike Hercules launch stations, disbanded 1989)
  56th Squadron, Grefrath, (9x MIM-14 Nike Hercules launch stations)
  13th Operations Group, Düren, FRG
  50th Squadron, Düren, (9x MIM-14 Nike Hercules launch stations)
  51st Squadron, Blankenheim, (9x MIM-14 Nike Hercules launch stations, disbanded 1989)
  Missile Support Group, Düren, FRG
  1st Wing, Beauvechain Air Base
  349th Squadron, 24x F-16A
  350th Squadron, 24x F-16A
  Air-defense battery with 6x MIM-23 Hawk launch stations
  2nd Wing, Florennes Air Base
  1st Squadron, 24x F-16A
  2nd Squadron, 24x F-16A
  Air-defense battery with 6x MIM-23 Hawk launch stations
  3rd Wing, Bierset Air Base
  8th Squadron, 36x Mirage 5BA
  42nd Squadron, 22x Mirage 5BR (Reconnaissance)
  Air-defense battery with 6x MIM-23 Hawk launch stations
  9th Wing, Sint-Truiden Air Base
  7th Squadron, 16x Alpha Jets
  11th Squadron, 16x Alpha Jets
  Air-defense battery with 6x MIM-23 Hawk launch stations
  10th Wingⁿᵒᵗᵉ ¹, Kleine Brogel Air Base
  23rd Squadron, 24x F-16A
  31st Squadron, 24x F-16A
  Air-defense battery with 6x MIM-23 Hawk launch stations
  note 1: Nuclear sharing unit capable of delivering tactical nuclear weapons stored and maintained by the United States Air Force in Europe's 7361st Munitions Support Squadron.
  Koksijde Air Base and the US managed Chièvres Air Base were designated as Collocated Operating Bases to be used by US Air Force reinforcements in case of crisis or war. Additionally the United States Air Force in Europe's 485th Tactical Missile Wing with nuclear capable BGM-109G Ground Launched Cruise Missiles was based at Florennes Air Base.
caption: A Mirage 5BR of 42nd Squadron takes off in 1989
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