Florennes Air Base
Florennes Air Base (Advanced Landing Ground A-78) | |||||||||||||||
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IATA: none – ICAO: EBFS | |||||||||||||||
Summary | |||||||||||||||
Airport type | Military | ||||||||||||||
Operator | Belgian Air Component | ||||||||||||||
Location | Florennes, Belgium | ||||||||||||||
Built | 1936 | ||||||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 935 ft / 285 m | ||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 50°14′36″N 004°38′45″E / 50.24333°N 4.64583°ECoordinates: 50°14′36″N 004°38′45″E / 50.24333°N 4.64583°E | ||||||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||||||
EBFS Location in Belgium | |||||||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||||||
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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 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.
Units
During World War II, German Luftwaffe fighter units operated from here, including Ju88 and Me110 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]
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.
See also
References
External links
- Media related to Florennes Air Base at Wikimedia Commons
- Tactical Leadership Programme
- Belgian Defence Force (French & Dutch)
- 485th Tactical Missile Wing