Chièvres Air Base
Encyclopedia
Chièvres Air Base is a United States Air Force
airfield located in the Belgian
town of Chièvres
and about 12 miles from Headquarters, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
(SHAPE), in Casteau
. It is mainly used to provide logistic support to NATO and SHAPE. The station and support facilities are operated by the United States Army
Garrison Benelux.
is the operational flying unit at Chièvres Air Base. It is supported by the 86th Operations Group
at Ramstein Air Base
, Germany
. It primarily operates Gulfstream V
aircraft (Designated C-37A) providing executive airlift for senior personnel assigned to SHAPE and NATO headquarters.
Chièvres also has an Operations Support flight that supports transient USAF and NATO aircraft using the airfield.
USAG Benelux provides base support operations and supports retirees and other personnel assigned to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe.
.
The current airfield was built by the Belgian Army in the 1930s, and at the end of 1939, the Belgian military began converting Chièvres into a diversion airfield. It was captured during the Battle of Belgium
by the invading German Wehrmacht
in May 1940.
, and Chièvres became a major air base during the Battle of France
. On 2 June, Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26) moved Messerschmitt Bf 109
E fighters to the airfield and on 9 June Kampfgeschwader 30
(KG 30) moved Junkers Ju 88
A attack bombers to the field. Both of these units were heavily engaged in combat operations with the French and the British Expeditionary Force in France.
KG 26 moved into France within a few days, while KG 30 remained at Chièvres until September, taking part in the Battle of Britain
. In addition to the Luftwaffe, the Corpo Aereo Italiano
stationed Fiat BR.20M Cigogna
(43° Stormo) and Cant Z.1007
bis bombers (172° Squadriglia Ricognizione Strategica Terrestre) at the base on 27 September, also taking part in the BoB. The Italians received heavy casualties, and by December 1940 they were recalled to Italy.
By late 1940 Chièvres had been taken off operational status by the Luftwaffe. The Germans found the airfield construction work incomplete, and began rebuilding and expanding the airfield. Construction began and two 1800m length concrete runways were laid down, extensive taxiways and dispersal pads, and a support facility consisting of maintenance shops, barracks, warehouses and hangars.
The base became operational again in March 1941 when a bomber unit, Kampfgeschwader 3 (KG 3) arrived from Le Culot Airfield, with Dornier Do 17
light bombers. From Chièvres KG 3 flew raids against Britain and anti-shipping missions in support of the U-Boat
s during the Battle of the Atlantic campaign. It later transitioned to Junkers Ju 88
A attack bombers, and in February 1942 IV.(Erg)./KG 3 assisted the German warships Scharnhorst
and Gneisenau
in the famous "Channel Dash". In January 1943, it moved to Istres Air Base in Southern France, to attack Allied shipping in the Mediterranean.
Luftwaffe operational units returned to Chièvres during the summer of 1944 when a series of Junkers Ju 88
units, Kampfgeschwader 6 (KG 6); Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30), and Kampfgeschwader 76 (KG 76) arrived in June and July. The units attacked targets in England, and later against Allied shipping in the English Channel after the Normandy Invasion of France. The base also served as a diversion field for Luftwaffe fighters.
In August, the base became a base for day interceptors against the American Eighth Air Force
bomber fleets attacking targets in Occupied Europe and Germany. As part of the "Defense of the Reich
" campaign, Messerschmitt Bf 109
s of Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26) attacked the heavy bombers. Later in August, Kampfgeschwader 51 (KG 51) arrived with the Messerschmitt Me 262
A jet interceptor for a few days before departing.
Chièvres Air Base was a frequent target of USAAF Ninth Air Force
B-26 Marauder
medium bombers. The medium bombers would attack in coordinated raids, usually in the mid to late afternoon, with Eighth Air Force heavy bombers returning from attacking their targets in Germany
. The attack was timed to have the maximum effect possible to keep the Luftwaffe interceptors pinned down on the ground and be unable to attack the heavy bombers. Also, the P-47 Thunderbolt
s of Ninth Air Force would be dispatched to perform fighter sweeps over Chièvres after the Marauder raids, then meet up with the heavy bombers and provide fighter escort back to England
. As the P-51 Mustang
groups of Eighth Air Force began accompanying the heavy bombers all the way to their German targets by mid-1944, it was routine for them to also attack Chièvres on their return back to England with a fighter sweep and attack any target of opportunity to be found at the airfield.
The Luftwaffe was forced to withdraw from the base by September 1, 1944, the last Luftwaffe aircraft had evacuated Chièvres and the installation was left heavily damaged.
A-84 or "Chievres Airfield".
Although operationally usable, Chièvres was a wrecked base from the numerous Allied air attacks and what was blown up by the Germans as they withdrew. The Americans made due with what could be repaired, with the 843d Engineer Aviation Regiment moving in what equipment was necessary to conduct combat operations.
In October 1944, the P-47D Thunderbolts
of the USAAF Ninth Air Force
361st Fighter Group
were stationed at Chièvres. During the Battle of the Bulge
the base was also used by the Hawker Typhoon
s of 123 Wing RAF. In March 1945 the 352d Fighter Group
, equipped with P-51D Mustangs
, were stationed at the base.
After the German surrender Chièvres became both a transit station for US soldiers returning home and a German POW camp. By the end of 1945 the base was turned over to the Belgian authorities.
, was stationed at Chièvres and joined a year later by the 10th Fighter Wing operating Spitfire XIV
. After converting to the F84E Thunderjet
the 10th Wing left Chièvres in 1953 for Kleine Brogel in Limburg.
In June 1956 the 7th Wing converted to the Hawker Hunter
Mk. 4, and two years later to the Hunter F6. In 1963, the 7th Wing was disbanded, and on December 31, 1967 the Belgian authorities officially turned over Chièvres Airbase to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE).
The Americans established the NATO/SHAPE Support Group (US) in 1968 at Caserne Daumerie adjacent to the air base and just east of the town of Chièvres to operate the base and provide logistic support to NATO and SHAPE. This small unit was part of Theater Army Support Command (TASCOM), which was part of U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR). The NATO/SHAPE Support Group was later renamed 80th Area Support Group (NATO/SHAPE Support Group).
The Airbase did serve as rehearsal and arrival point of US Precision Helicopter Team that competed in September France 1989. The US Team would take the first seven places over teams from USSR in overall competition. http://www.ng.mil/news/theonguard/1989/1989-10.pdf
In 2007 construction work started on a 94-room Army lodge. A $17 million commissary at Chièvres opened in 2010. One major project nearing completion is the runway renovation effort which sees the runway lengthened and resurfaced.
The 309th Airlift Squadron
, part of the 86th Airlift Wing
, uses Chièvres for C-37 Gulfstream V. Even though the U.S. Air Force's 309th Airlift Squadron operates the airfield and runways, overall operations are entrusted to the USAG BENELUX, a U.S. Army unit. This makes Chievres Air Base the only actual "base" in the Army since Army installations are usually referred to as "posts" or "airfields".
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
airfield located in the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
town of Chièvres
Chièvres
Chièvres is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Chièvres had a total population of 6,198. The total area is 46.91 km² which gives a population density of 132 inhabitants per km²....
and about 12 miles from Headquarters, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe is the central command of NATO military forces. It is located at Casteau, north of the Belgian city of Mons...
(SHAPE), in Casteau
Casteau
Casteau is a village of Belgium in the French-speaking region. With the others villages Chaussée-Notre-Dame-Louvignies, Horrues, Naast, Neufvilles, Soignies , and Thieusies, they compose the municipality of Soignies....
. It is mainly used to provide logistic support to NATO and SHAPE. The station and support facilities are operated by the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Garrison Benelux.
Units
The United States Air Force 309th Airlift Squadron309th Airlift Squadron
The 309th Airlift Squadron is part of the 86th Airlift Wing at Chièvres Air Base, Belgium. It operates C-37 aircraft providing executive airlfit for NATO.-History:...
is the operational flying unit at Chièvres Air Base. It is supported by the 86th Operations Group
86th Operations Group
The 86th Operations Group is the flying operational component of the 86th Airlift Wing. The group is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
at Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base is a United States Air Force base in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe and is also a North Atlantic Treaty Organization installation...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It primarily operates Gulfstream V
Gulfstream V
The Gulfstream V is a business jet aircraft produced by Gulfstream Aerospace. It is also used by the US military under the designation C-37A. The G500 and G550 are improved versions which are currently in production...
aircraft (Designated C-37A) providing executive airlift for senior personnel assigned to SHAPE and NATO headquarters.
Chièvres also has an Operations Support flight that supports transient USAF and NATO aircraft using the airfield.
USAG Benelux provides base support operations and supports retirees and other personnel assigned to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe.
History
The first airfield at Chièvres was established in 1917 by the Germans during their occupation of Belgium in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
The current airfield was built by the Belgian Army in the 1930s, and at the end of 1939, the Belgian military began converting Chièvres into a diversion airfield. It was captured during the Battle of Belgium
Battle of Belgium
The Battle of Belgium or Belgian Campaign formed part of the greater Battle of France, an offensive campaign by Germany during the Second World War...
by the invading German Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
in May 1940.
German use during World War II
Shortly after its capture, the airfield was turned over to the LuftwaffeLuftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
, and Chièvres became a major air base during the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
. On 2 June, Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26) moved Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
E fighters to the airfield and on 9 June Kampfgeschwader 30
Kampfgeschwader 30
-Service history:Formed on 15 November 1939 in Greifswald. I Gruppe formed 1 September, II Gruppe on 23 September and III Gruppe on 1 January 1940, based in Greifswald then Barth...
(KG 30) moved Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
A attack bombers to the field. Both of these units were heavily engaged in combat operations with the French and the British Expeditionary Force in France.
KG 26 moved into France within a few days, while KG 30 remained at Chièvres until September, taking part in the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
. In addition to the Luftwaffe, the Corpo Aereo Italiano
Corpo Aereo Italiano
The "Italian Air Corps" was an expeditionary force of the Italian Royal Air Force that participated in the Battle of Britain during the final months of 1940 during World War II. The CAI supported the German Air Force and flew against the British Royal Air Force...
stationed Fiat BR.20M Cigogna
Fiat BR.20
The Fiat BR.20 Cicogna was a low-wing twin-engine medium bomber produced from mid-1930s until the end of World War II by the Turin firm. When it entered service in 1936 it was the first all-metal Italian bomber and it was regarded as one of the most modern medium bomber of the world...
(43° Stormo) and Cant Z.1007
CANT Z.1007
The Cant Z.1007 Alcione was a three-engined medium bomber, with wooden structure. Designed by ingegner Filippo Zappata, the "father" of the CANT...
bis bombers (172° Squadriglia Ricognizione Strategica Terrestre) at the base on 27 September, also taking part in the BoB. The Italians received heavy casualties, and by December 1940 they were recalled to Italy.
By late 1940 Chièvres had been taken off operational status by the Luftwaffe. The Germans found the airfield construction work incomplete, and began rebuilding and expanding the airfield. Construction began and two 1800m length concrete runways were laid down, extensive taxiways and dispersal pads, and a support facility consisting of maintenance shops, barracks, warehouses and hangars.
The base became operational again in March 1941 when a bomber unit, Kampfgeschwader 3 (KG 3) arrived from Le Culot Airfield, with Dornier Do 17
Dornier Do 17
The Dornier Do 17, sometimes referred to as the Fliegender Bleistift , was a World War II German light bomber produced by Claudius Dornier's company, Dornier Flugzeugwerke...
light bombers. From Chièvres KG 3 flew raids against Britain and anti-shipping missions in support of the U-Boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s during the Battle of the Atlantic campaign. It later transitioned to Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
A attack bombers, and in February 1942 IV.(Erg)./KG 3 assisted the German warships Scharnhorst
German battleship Scharnhorst
Scharnhorst was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the lead ship of her class, which included one other ship, Gneisenau. The ship was built at the Kriegsmarinewerft dockyard in Wilhelmshaven; she was laid down on 15...
and Gneisenau
German battleship Gneisenau
Gneisenau was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the second vessel of her class, which included one other ship, Scharnhorst. The ship was built at the Deutsche Werke dockyard in Kiel; she was laid down on 6 May 1935...
in the famous "Channel Dash". In January 1943, it moved to Istres Air Base in Southern France, to attack Allied shipping in the Mediterranean.
Luftwaffe operational units returned to Chièvres during the summer of 1944 when a series of Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
units, Kampfgeschwader 6 (KG 6); Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30), and Kampfgeschwader 76 (KG 76) arrived in June and July. The units attacked targets in England, and later against Allied shipping in the English Channel after the Normandy Invasion of France. The base also served as a diversion field for Luftwaffe fighters.
In August, the base became a base for day interceptors against the American Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
bomber fleets attacking targets in Occupied Europe and Germany. As part of the "Defense of the Reich
Defense of the Reich
The Defence of the Reich is the name given to the strategic defensive aerial campaign fought by the Luftwaffe over German occupied Europe and Germany itself during World War II. Its aim was to prevent the destruction of German military and civil industries by the Western Allies...
" campaign, Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
s of Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26) attacked the heavy bombers. Later in August, Kampfgeschwader 51 (KG 51) arrived with the Messerschmitt Me 262
Messerschmitt Me 262
The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944...
A jet interceptor for a few days before departing.
Chièvres Air Base was a frequent target of USAAF Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
B-26 Marauder
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
medium bombers. The medium bombers would attack in coordinated raids, usually in the mid to late afternoon, with Eighth Air Force heavy bombers returning from attacking their targets in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The attack was timed to have the maximum effect possible to keep the Luftwaffe interceptors pinned down on the ground and be unable to attack the heavy bombers. Also, the P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
s of Ninth Air Force would be dispatched to perform fighter sweeps over Chièvres after the Marauder raids, then meet up with the heavy bombers and provide fighter escort back to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. As the P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
groups of Eighth Air Force began accompanying the heavy bombers all the way to their German targets by mid-1944, it was routine for them to also attack Chièvres on their return back to England with a fighter sweep and attack any target of opportunity to be found at the airfield.
The Luftwaffe was forced to withdraw from the base by September 1, 1944, the last Luftwaffe aircraft had evacuated Chièvres and the installation was left heavily damaged.
Allied use
On September 3, Allied troops arrived and assumed command of the airbase. Once in American hands, combat engineers of the IX Engineering Command 846thth Engineer Aviation Regiment repaired the damaged airfield and applied numerous patches to the two concrete runways and taxiways of the field. It was declared operationally ready for combat units on 16 September, only a few days after its capture from German forces, being designated as Advanced Landing GroundAdvanced Landing Ground
Advanced Landing Ground was the term given to the temporary advance airfields constructed by the Allies during World War II in support of the invasion of Europe...
A-84 or "Chievres Airfield".
Although operationally usable, Chièvres was a wrecked base from the numerous Allied air attacks and what was blown up by the Germans as they withdrew. The Americans made due with what could be repaired, with the 843d Engineer Aviation Regiment moving in what equipment was necessary to conduct combat operations.
In October 1944, the P-47D Thunderbolts
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
of the USAAF Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
361st Fighter Group
361st Fighter Group
The 361st Fighter Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces combat organization. It served primarily in the European Theatre of World War II....
were stationed at Chièvres. During the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
the base was also used by the Hawker Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
s of 123 Wing RAF. In March 1945 the 352d Fighter Group
352d Fighter Group
The 352d Fighter Group was one of the most highly decorated USAAF Fighter Groups in World War II, producing many leading aces of the war. The 352d was composed of three squadrons: . Once deployed to the European Theater of Operations , the group was eventually headquartered in Bodney, England...
, equipped with P-51D Mustangs
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
, were stationed at the base.
After the German surrender Chièvres became both a transit station for US soldiers returning home and a German POW camp. By the end of 1945 the base was turned over to the Belgian authorities.
Cold War years
In 1947 the base was rebuilt and expanded to serve as a jet-fighter base. On 1 December 1950 the 7th Fighter Wing, equipped with the Gloster MeteorGloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
, was stationed at Chièvres and joined a year later by the 10th Fighter Wing operating Spitfire XIV
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
. After converting to the F84E Thunderjet
F-84 Thunderjet
The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 flew in 1946...
the 10th Wing left Chièvres in 1953 for Kleine Brogel in Limburg.
In June 1956 the 7th Wing converted to the Hawker Hunter
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
Mk. 4, and two years later to the Hunter F6. In 1963, the 7th Wing was disbanded, and on December 31, 1967 the Belgian authorities officially turned over Chièvres Airbase to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE).
The Americans established the NATO/SHAPE Support Group (US) in 1968 at Caserne Daumerie adjacent to the air base and just east of the town of Chièvres to operate the base and provide logistic support to NATO and SHAPE. This small unit was part of Theater Army Support Command (TASCOM), which was part of U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR). The NATO/SHAPE Support Group was later renamed 80th Area Support Group (NATO/SHAPE Support Group).
The Airbase did serve as rehearsal and arrival point of US Precision Helicopter Team that competed in September France 1989. The US Team would take the first seven places over teams from USSR in overall competition. http://www.ng.mil/news/theonguard/1989/1989-10.pdf
Post Cold War years
The 80th Area Support Group (NATO/SHAPE Support Group) was renamed USAG BENELUX (NATO/SHAPE Support Group) in 2005.In 2007 construction work started on a 94-room Army lodge. A $17 million commissary at Chièvres opened in 2010. One major project nearing completion is the runway renovation effort which sees the runway lengthened and resurfaced.
The 309th Airlift Squadron
309th Airlift Squadron
The 309th Airlift Squadron is part of the 86th Airlift Wing at Chièvres Air Base, Belgium. It operates C-37 aircraft providing executive airlfit for NATO.-History:...
, part of the 86th Airlift Wing
86th Airlift Wing
The 86th Airlift Wing is a United States Air Force wing, currently assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe. The 86th AW is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany-Mission:...
, uses Chièvres for C-37 Gulfstream V. Even though the U.S. Air Force's 309th Airlift Squadron operates the airfield and runways, overall operations are entrusted to the USAG BENELUX, a U.S. Army unit. This makes Chievres Air Base the only actual "base" in the Army since Army installations are usually referred to as "posts" or "airfields".
See also
- Advanced Landing Ground