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Further Reading

Belgium - Air Force / Composante Air / Luchtcomponent

The Belgian Air Component’s primary mission is to defend airspace of the country and of the North Atlantic allies. The component should be able to participate in national defence, attack ground targets and carry out air reconnaissance under any conditions in peace as well as in high intensity con?ict. In addition, it should be able to provide for transport and deployment of the airmobile expedition unit at the level of battalion in the ?rst phase of missions abroad.

The air component should be also able to provide capacity for contribution to two independently conducted operations in different regions, made of two F-16 A/B multipurpose combat aircraft units, in maximum total number of 36 machines and 1250 personnel for the period not exceeding four months. For a sustained deployment, the number of aircraft and personnel would require reduced number of aircraft and personnel due to necessary rotation of both systems and personnel.

The Belgian Air Component consists of Command COMOPSAIR, one wing to provide training, two tactical aircraft wings, one transport aviation wing, air group intended for Search and Rescue operations and supporting units. The main technology assets are F-16 A/B multipurpose combat aircraft, C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. In addition to the further listed combat aircraft Belgian air force holds in its reserve 32 aircraft F-16 A/B, 12 Mirage 5BA, 12 Mirage 5BR, 3 Mirage 5BD that are stowed preserved. The air component continues to consist of multi-role combat aircraft and transport airplanes. There is no change in the assignment of 72 mid life updated F-16’s to NATO. After 2015, the F-16 will be replaced by new combat aircraft. The C-130’s will be replaced by more capable A 400-M.

Though the current geostrategic environment makes very likely the risk of a major assault against the Alliance, the possibility of such an event in the medium term cannot be totally excluded. The history of the 20th century has enough reminded Belgium. On the other hand, regional security remains subject to a wide variety of military risks and non-military, difficult to predict and which may come from different directions.

The Belgian Air Force played a deterrent role during the Cold War as part of the NATO command in Europe. If the land-based deterrent capability of NATO were to fail, the air force would fight for the defense of the NATO area. Its mission would be to participate in the overall NATO air defensive plan and give air support to the land-based forces.

The air force has three major divisons: the Tactical Air Command, the Training Command, and the Logistics Command. The Tactical Command is responsible for the operational air wings that are assigned to NATO. The air force had a strength in 1984 of approximately 20,000, of which 3,600 were conscripts. The majority of flying and technical personnel are volunteers.

In 1984 two all-weather fighter-bomber wings of the air force were equipped with F-16 aircraft, manufactured in part in Belgium. The mixed reconnaissance and fighter-bomber wing was equipped with French-made Mirage 5 aircraft, as was a second fighter-bomber wing. Each of the these four wings consisted of two squadrons. The transport wing was made up of a squadron of C-130H cargo planes and a composite squadron of passenger-type aircraft, including Boeing 727s, Merlin IllAs, and Falcon 20s. The helicopter squadron flew Sea King aircraft on air and sea missions and used large transport helicopters when moving equipment and personnel.

Air force training received consistent praise from NATO, as has its performance in NATO training exercises. The air force also was responsible for maintaining air defense installations in conjunction with NATO. In 1984 six squadrons of surface-to-air Nike Hercules missiles were assigned to the NATO Second Tactical Air Force as the Belgian contribution to aircraft and air defense units shared by the Netherlands, Britain, and West Germany. Budgetary constraints, however, initially led Belgium not to upgrade the air defense system with Patriot missiles. These same constraints also forced a decision to dismantle two of the existing six Nike Hercules batteries in 1984. Belgium remained responsible for the operation of two NATO Air Defense Ground Environment (NADGE) radar stations that regulate civilian as well as military air traffic.

During the Cold War the Belgian Air Force, consisting of 20,000 officers and airmen, operated four tactical air wings (two F-16 and two MIRAGE V), in addition to one C-130 transport wing, a helicopter wing, and a missile wing which manned four NIKE Hercules surface-to-air missile squadrons in the FRG.

The Belgian Air Force, which was not formally established until after the war, grew tremendously with the assimilation of over 220 F-84F and 48 F-104G aircraft, as well as equipment to mobilize 6 squadrons of NIKE missile launchers. By far the largest participant in the 1970s and 1980s in the FMS system waas the Belgian Air Force (BAF) which obtained extensive support for its C-130 squadrons, AIM-9-P3 air -to-air missiles, and a very ambitious pilot training program, including annual participation in U.S. Air Force RED FLAG exercises. Without a doubt, however, the single most important FMS program with Belgium was its purchase (initial and follow-on buys) of 160 F-16 A/B aircraft as part of the original European Participating Government (EPG) consortium which included The Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway.

The Modernisation Plan 2000–2015 Of The Belgian Armed Forces is based on a strategic reflection called VISION 2015, that was initiated in 1997. The operational characteristics of the new 2015 Force structure will be more readily available, flexible, modular, sustainable, deployable, effective and fully equipped and manned units. The air component will continue to consist of multi-role combat aircraft and transport airplanes. There is no change in the assignment of 72 mid life updated F-16’s to NATO. After 2015, the F-16 will be replaced by new combat aircraft. The C-130’s will be replaced by more capable A 400-M.

On Monday, 21 March 2011 at 14h54, four Belgian Air Force F-16s took off on their first mission in operations in Libya, which had received the endorsement of the Government earlier in the day. This first mission has led these aircraft to patrolling over the Mediterranean to the West of Crete. Guided by an AWACS radar aircraft, they enforced the air exclusion zone by searching for intrusions. If the need existed, they had authority to act. No intervention was made at this first release. The planes returned to their base at Araxos in Greece.