Belgian Air Force

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Belgian Air Force

The Air Component, formerly the Belgian Air Force, is the air arm

Air force

An air force, also known in some countries as an air army or historically an army air corps , is in the broadest sense, the national armed force or armed service that primarily conducts aerial warfare....
of the Belgian Armed Forces

Military of Belgium

The military of Belgium is the Belgium armed forces. The Belgian Armed Forces have about 47,000 active troops. They are organised into one unified structure which consists of four main components:...
. The current commander is Lieutenant-General Gerard Van Caelenberge.

Belgian Air Force was founded in 1909 as a branch of the Belgian Army. It originally carried the name of Compagnie des Ouvries et Aérostiers. At the start of the First World War, the military aviation branch consisted of four squadrons equipped with Farman aircraft.

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The Air Component, formerly the Belgian Air Force, is the air arm

Air force

Military of Belgium

Early years

The Belgian Air Force was founded in 1909 as a branch of the Belgian Army. It originally carried the name of Compagnie des Ouvries et Aérostiers. At the start of the First World War, the military aviation branch consisted of four squadrons equipped with Farman aircraft. In March 1915 it was expanded to six squadrons. During the war the Belgian squadrons were equipped with Nieuport 10

Nieuport 10

The Nieuport 10 was a France biplane general purpose aircraft, in service during the early months of World War I....
, Nieuport 11

Nieuport 11

The Nieuport 11, often nicknamed the B?b?, was a French World War I single seat fighter aircraft, designed by Gustave Delage. It is famous as one of the aircraft that ended the 'Fokker Scourge' in 1916....
, Nieuport 17

Nieuport 17

The Nieuport 17 was a French biplane fighter aircraft of World War I, manufactured by the Nieuport company....
, Hanriot HD.1

Hanriot HD.1

File:Hanriot HD-1 3 vues.jpgThe Hanriot HD.1 was a French World War I single seat fighter. Rejected for service with French squadrons in favour of the SPAD S.VII, the type was supplied to the Belgian Air Force and the Regia Aeronautica with whom it proved highly successful....
, SPAD S.VII

SPAD S.VII

The SPAD S.VII was the first of a series of highly successful biplane fighter aircraft produced by Soci?t? Pour L'Aviation et ses D?riv?s during the World War I....
, SPAD S.XIII

SPAD S.XIII

The SPAD S.XIII was a France biplane fighter aircraft of World War I, developed by Soci?t? Pour L'Aviation et ses D?riv?s from the earlier highly successful SPAD S.VII....
and Sopwith Camel

Sopwith Camel

The Sopwith Camel was a British World War I single-seat fighter aircraft biplane, famous for its manoeuvrability....
. One of its' pilots, Willy Coppens

Willy Coppens

Willy Omer Francois Jean Coppens was Belgium's leading fighter ace and the champion "balloon busters" of World War I....
, even became the top ranking "balloon buster" of German observation balloons of World War I.

During the interbellum, the Belgian Air Force flew with Breguet 19

Breguet 19

The Breguet 19 was a light bomber and reconnaissance plane, also used for long-distance flights, designed by the France Breguet Aviation company and produced from 1924....
.

At the start of World War II, the Army Air Force had three active Air Force Regiments. Planes which were used by those regiments were the Renard R-31

Renard R-31

The Renard R-31 was a Belgium reconnaissance aircraft of the 1930s. A single engined parasol monoplane, 32 R-31s were built for the Belgian Air Force, the survivors of which, although obsolete, remained in service when Nazi Germany invaded Belgium in 1940....
and R-32, the Fiat CR.42

Fiat CR.42

The Fiat CR.42 Falco was a sesquiplane which served as the primary fighter aircraft of Italy's Regia Aeronautica at the outbreak of World War II....
, the Hawker Hurricane

Hawker Hurricane

The Hawker Hurricane is a United Kingdom single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft. Some production of the Hurricane was carried out in Canada by the Canada Car and Foundry....
, the Gloster Gladiator

Gloster Gladiator

The Gloster Gladiator was a United Kingdom-built biplane Fighter aircraft, used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s....
, the Fairey Fox

Fairey Fox

The Fairey Fox was a light bomber and fighter biplane of the 1920s and 1930s. It was originally produced in Britain for the Royal Air Force, but continued in production and use in Belgium long after it was retired in Britain....
, and the Fairey Battle

Fairey Battle

The Fairey Battle was a United Kingdom single-engined light bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company in the late 1930s for the Royal Air Force....
. These were massacred by the much superior German Luftwaffe in the German invasion of May 1940.

The following (possibly incomplete) table lists the inventory of the Belgian Air Force as in May 1940

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Year acquired	In service
Fairey Battle Fairey Battle The Fairey Battle was a United Kingdom single-engined light bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company in the late 1930s for the Royal Air Force....		Light bomber	1938	16
Fairey Fox Fairey Fox The Fairey Fox was a light bomber and fighter biplane of the 1920s and 1930s. It was originally produced in Britain for the Royal Air Force, but continued in production and use in Belgium long after it was retired in Britain....		Light bomber & observation	1933-1938	154
Fiat CR.42 Fiat CR.42 The Fiat CR.42 Falco was a sesquiplane which served as the primary fighter aircraft of Italy's Regia Aeronautica at the outbreak of World War II....		Fighter	1940	27
Fokker F.VII Fokker F.VII The Fokker F.VII was an airliner produced in the 1920s by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker, Fokker's American subsidiary Atlantic Aircraft Corporation, and other companies under licence....		Transport	1935	9
Gloster Gladiator Gloster Gladiator The Gloster Gladiator was a United Kingdom-built biplane Fighter aircraft, used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s....		Fighter	1937	22
Hawker Hurricane Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a United Kingdom single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft. Some production of the Hurricane was carried out in Canada by the Canada Car and Foundry....		Fighter	1939	20
Koolhoven FK.56		Advanced Trainer	1940	12
LACAB GR.8		Bomber prototype	1936	1
Morane-Saulnier MS.230 Morane-Saulnier MS.230 The Morane-Saulnier MS.230 aircraft was the main elementary trainer for the France Arm?e de l'Air throughout the 1930s. In fact, almost all French pilots flying for the Arm?e de l'Air at the outbreak of World War II had had their earliest flight training in this machine....		Observation	1932	23
Potez 33		Light bomber & reconnaissance	1930	10
Renard R.31		Observation	1935	33
Renard R.38		Fighter prototype	1940	1
SABCA S-47 / Caproni Ca.335	/	Light bomber prototype	1940	1
Savoia-Marchetti SM.73		Transport	1940	8
Savoia-Marchetti SM.83		Transport	1940	3
Stampe-et-Vertongen SV-5		Training	1936	21
Stampe-et-Vertongen SV-22		Training	1933	10
Stampe-et-Vertongen SV-26		Training	1933	10

Before the outbreak of the war Belgium also sought to equip its Aviation Militaire with foreign designs, ordering production licences in Poland

Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian Enclave and exclave, to the north....
and France

France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
and aircraft in the USA. However, the acquired licences could not be used until May 1940 and the aircraft produced in the USA were eventually delivered to France

France

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
. The following table summarizes Belgiums foreign orders:

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Year acquired	Number
Breguet 693 Breguet 693 The Breguet 690 and its derivatives were a series of light twin-engined ground-attack aircraft that were used by the French Air Force in World War II....		Light bomber and assault aircraft	1940	licence to build 32
Brewster B-339 Brewster Buffalo The Brewster Aeronautical Corporation F2A was an United States fighter aircraft which saw limited service during World War II. In 1939, the F2A became the first monoplane fighter aircraft used by the United States Navy....		Fighter	1939	40 ordered, 1 delivered to Bordeaux Bordeaux is a Port city on the Garonne in southwest France, with one million inhabitants in its aire urbaine at a 2008 estimate. It is the Capital of the Aquitaine regions of France, as well as the Prefectures in France of the Gironde Departments of France.... , 6 to Martinique Martinique Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, having a land area of 1,128 km?. It is an overseas department of France. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia.... , rest to RAF
Douglas DB-7 Douglas DB-7 The Douglas Aircraft Company A-20/DB-7 Havoc was a family of United States attack, light bomber and night fighter aircraft of World War II, serving with several Allies of WWII air forces, principally those of the Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and United States....		Medium bomber	1939	16 ordered
PZL.37 Los PZL.37 Los The PZL.37 Los was a Poland twin-engine medium bomber, used in the Invasion of Poland in 1939. Thanks to the Laminar flow wing it was one of the most modern bomber aircraft in the world before World War II....		Medium bomber	1938	licence to build unknown number

After the surrender of Belgium on 28 May 1940, a very small Belgian Air Force in exile was created in Great Britain. This small force was active within the British Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts....
, and its squadrons were equipped with versions of the much better aircraft, the Supermarine Spitfire

Supermarine Spitfire

The Supermarine Spitfire is a United Kingdom single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allies of World War II countries through the Second World War and on into the 1950s as a frontline fighter and in secondary roles....
and Hawker Typhoon

Hawker Typhoon

The Typhoon was a United Kingdom single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft starting in 1941. Although it was intended to be a replacement for the Hawker Hurricane in the interceptor aircraft role, the Typhoon underwent a long gestation period, eventually evolving into one of the World War II's most successful ground-attack aircr...
.

During the Cold War

On October 15, 1946, the Belgian military aviation was turned into an autonomous force, independent of the Belgian Army.

During the Cold War, at various times the Belgian Air Force operated the following aircraft:

Aircraft	Description	Variants	Operated	Notes
Aero Commander 560F	Twin-engined light transport	560F	1	1961 to 1973 as royal transport
Airspeed Consul Airspeed Consul The Airspeed Consul was a United Kingdom light twin-engined airliner of the immediate post-war period....	Twin-engined light transport		4	Used from 1948 in Belgian Congo.
Airspeed Oxford Airspeed Oxford The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford was a twin-engine aircraft used for training Commonwealth of Nations aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombing and gunnery during the World War II....	Twin-engined light transport		20	Operated between 1947 and 1954.
Auster AOP6	Single-engine light observation aircraft,		22	Operated between 1947 and 1955.
Avro Anson Avro Anson The Avro Anson was a United Kingdom twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces during the World War II and afterwards....	Twin-engined light transport		15	Operated between 1946 and 1954.
Avro-Canada CF-100 Canuck Avro CF-100 The Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck, , was a Canada Jet aircraft fighter aircraft serving during the Cold War. It was the only Canadian-designed fighter to enter mass-production....	Twin-jet interceptor	Mk 5	53	Operated from 1957 into the mid 1960s.
Boeing 727-200	Three-engined jet airliner	727-29C	2	Operated from 1975.
Dassault Mirage 5 Dassault Mirage 5 The Dassault Mirage 5 is a supersonic attack aircraft designed in France by Dassault Aviation during the 1960s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries....	Jet fighter-bomber and reconnaissance	5BA 5BD 5BR	63 16 27	Operated from 1970. 10 where build in Belgium
Dassault Falcon Dassault Falcon The Dassault Falcon is a family of business jets, manufactured by Dassault Aviation.Aircraft include:* Dassault Falcon 10 Scaled down Falcon 20 ...	Twin-engined light jet transport	20E	2	Operated from 1973.
de Havilland Tiger Moth De Havilland Tiger Moth The de Havilland DH 82 Tiger Moth is a List of years in aviation biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and was operated by the Royal Air Force and others as a primary trainer ....	Biplane trainer		15	Operated from 1946.
de Havilland Dominie De Havilland Dragon Rapide The de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide was a United Kingdom short-haul passenger airliner of the 1930s. Designed by the de Havilland company in late 1933 as a faster and more comfortable successor to the de Havilland Dragon, it was in effect a twin-engined, scaled-down version of the four-engined de Havilland Express....	Biplane transport		7	Operated from 1946.
de Havilland Mosquito De Havilland Mosquito The de Havilland Mosquito was a United Kingdom combat aircraft that excelled in a number of roles during the World War II. Originally conceived as an unarmed fast bomber, uses of the Mosquito included: low to medium altitude daytime tactical bomber, high altitude night bomber, Pathfinder , Day fighter or Night fighter fighter aircraft, fighte...	Twin-engined piston light fighter-bomber	TT3 NF30	7 24	Operated from 1947 as target tugs and night fighters.
de Havilland Canada Chipmunk	Single-engined piston trainer		2	For evaluation from 1948.
Alpha Jet Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet The Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet is a light jet attack and advanced trainer aircraft co-manufactured by Dornier of Germany and Dassault Aviation of France....	Ground attack	Alpha Jet B	33
Douglas C-47 Dakota C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day....	Passenger/troop transport		41	Operated in various roles between 1946 and 1976.
Douglas DC-4 Douglas DC-4 The DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the United States company Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during the Second World War in a military role, and after the war for civilian airlines....	Four-engined piston airliner		2	Operated from 1950 to 1969.
Douglas DC-6 Douglas DC-6 The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range transport market....	Four-engined piston airliner		4	Operated from 1954 to 1960.
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar C-119 Flying Boxcar The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was an United States military transport aircraft developed from the World War II Fairchild Aircraft C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechanized equipment, and to drop cargo and troops by parachute....	Twin-engined troop or cargo transport	C-119F C-119G	46	Operated from 1952 to 1973.
Fouga Magister Fouga Magister The Fouga Magister was a 1950s France two-seat jet trainer. The related Fouga Z?phyr was a carrier-capable version for the French Navy.Although it is often lauded as the first purpose built two-seat turbojet-powered trainer aircraft, similar claims are made for the Fokker S.14 Machtrainer whose first flight, production, and service entry w...	Jet trainer	CM.170R	50	Operated from 1960
SABCA F-16 F-16 Fighting Falcon The Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon is a Multirole combat aircraft jet aircraft fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force....	Fighter	F-16A F-16B	94 20	Built under licence in Belgium and Netherland.
Gloster Meteor Gloster Meteor The Gloster Aircraft Company Meteor was the first United Kingdom jet aircraft Fighter aircraft and the Allies of World War II first operational jet aircraft....	Jet fighter	F4 T7 F8 NF11	48 43 260 24	Operated from 1949 some built in Belgium and Netherlands
Hawker Hurricane Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a United Kingdom single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft. Some production of the Hurricane was carried out in Canada by the Canada Car and Foundry....	Piston fighter	II	3	Operated from 1946
SABCA Hunter Hawker Hunter The Hawker Hunter was a jet fighter aircraft of the 1950s and 1960s. The Hunter served for many years with the Royal Air Force and was widely exported, serving with 19 air forces....	Jet fighter	F4 F6	148 144	Operated from 1956 all built in Belgium under licence
Hawker Siddeley 748 Avro 748 The Hawker Siddeley HS 748 is a medium-sized turboprop airliner originally designed by Avro in the late 1950s as a replacement for the now-aged DC-3s then in widespread service as feederliners....	Twin-engined transport	2A	3	Operated from 1976
Lockheed T-33 T-33 Shooting Star The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star is an United States-built Jet engine trainer aircraft. It was produced by Lockheed Corporation and made its first flight in 1948, piloted by Tony LeVier....	Single engine jet	T-33A RT-33A	38 1	Operated from 1952
SABCA F-104 Starfighter F-104 Starfighter The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was an United States single-engined, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1958 until 1967....	Multi-role jet	F-104G TF-104G	100 12	Operated from 1963, Belgian-built
Miles Magister Miles Magister The Miles M.14 Magister was a United Kingdom two-seat monoplane basic trainer aircraft built by the Miles Aircraft for the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm....	Single-engines trainer		1	Operated from 1946 to 1948
Miles Martinet Miles Martinet The Miles M.25 Martinet was a target tug aircraft of the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm that was in service during World War II. It was the first United Kingdom aircraft to be designed specifically for the role of towing targets....	Single-engined target tug		11	Operated from 1947 to 1953
North American Harvard T-6 Texan The T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft designed by North American Aviation, used to train Fighter aircraft pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the Commonwealth of Nations during World War II....	Basic trainer	Various	173	Operated in Belgian Kongo
Percival Proctor Percival Proctor The Percival Proctor was a United Kingdom radio trainer and communications aircraft of the World War II. The Proctor was a single-engine, low-wing monoplane with seating for three or four, depending on the model....	Single-engined liaison	IV	6	Operated from 1947
Percival Pembroke Percival Pembroke The Percival Pembroke was a United Kingdom high-wing twin-engined light transport aircraft built by the Percival Aircraft Company, later Hunting Aircraft....	Twin-engined light transport	C51	12	Operated from 1954.
Republic F-84 Thunderjet F-84 Thunderjet The Republic Aviation F-84 Thunderjet was an United States-built turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Air Force proposal for a "day fighter," the F-84 flew in 1946....	Single-engined fighter-bomber	F-84E F-84G	213	Operated from 1951
Republic F-84F Thunderstreak F-84F Thunderstreak The Republic Aviation F-84F Thunderstreak was an United States-built swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design....	Single-engined fighter-bomber	F-84F	197	Operated from 1955
Republic RF-84F Thunderflash F-84F Thunderstreak The Republic Aviation F-84F Thunderstreak was an United States-built swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design....	Single-engined reconnaissance	RF-84F	34	Operated from 1955
SIAI-Marchetti SF.260	Single-engined trainer	SF.260MB	36	Operated from 1969
Stampe SV.4 Stampe SV.4 The Stampe et Vertongen SV.4 is a Belgium two-seat trainer/tourer biplane designed and built by Stampe. The aircraft was also built under licence in France and Algeria....	Biplane trainer	SV-4B SV-4C	20 45	Operated from 1948
Supermarine Spitfire Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a United Kingdom single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allies of World War II countries through the Second World War and on into the 1950s as a frontline fighter and in secondary roles....	Piston-engined fighter	IX and XVI	181	Operated from 1945
Swearingen Merlin Swearingen Merlin The Swearingen Merlin or the Fairchild Aerospace Merlin is a pressurised, twin turboprop business aircraft first produced by Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corporation, and later by Fairchild Aircraft at a plant in San Antonio, Texas....	Twin-engined light transport	Merlin 3A	6	Operated from 1976
Westland Sea King Westland Sea King The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a United Kingdom license-built version of the United States SH-3 Sea King helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters....	Rescue helicopter	Mk 48	5	Operated from 1976

Post-Cold War reforms - COMOPSAIR

In the beginning of the nineties, the end of the Cold War caused the Belgian government to restructure the Belgian Armed Forces in order to cope with the changed threats. This meant cutbacks and crimping of the Armed Forces. The Belgian Air Force was hit hard and saw its strength more than halved with the disbanding of the 3rd Tactical Wing in Bierset (1994); the disbanding of the 1st Fighter Wing in Beauvechain

Beauvechain

Beauvechain , is a Wallonia municipality located in the Belgium province of Walloon Brabant. On 1 January 2006 the municipality had 6,529 inhabitants....
; the 9th Training Wing in Sint-Truiden

Sint-Truiden

Sint-Truiden is a city and Municipalities in Belgium located in the Provinces of Belgium of Limburg , Flemish Region, Belgium, near the towns of Hasselt and Tongeren....
; and the Elementary Flying School in Goetsenhoven (1996).

In 2002, the Belgian government decided to emulate Canada

Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
and impose a "single structure" on its armed forces in which the independent Belgian Air Force ceased to exist. The former Air Force became the Belgium Air Component (COMOPSAIR) of the Armed Forces. COMOPSAIR nowadays consists of 2nd Tactical Wing in Florennes

Florennes

Florennes is a Belgium municipality located in the Wallonia province of Namur . On January 1 2006 Florennes had a total population of 10,754. The total area is 133.55 km? which gives a population density of 81 inhabitants per km?....
and 10th Tactical Wing in Kleine Brogel, both flying F-16's in 4 squadrons. Out of the 160 F-16s originally bought by Belgium, only 105 were upgraded; with further reductions to 72 aircraft in 2005; and planned to 60 by 2015. The 1st Wing at Beauvechain is assigned with the training of pilots for which the Marchetti propellor-driven trainer aircraft is used for elementary training, and the Alpha Jet for advanced training. Advanced fighter training occurs in the F-16 at Kleine Brogel. COMOPSAIR still uses the Lockheed

Lockheed Corporation

The Lockheed Corporation was an United States aerospace company founded in 1912 which merged with Martin Marietta in 1995 in aviation to form Lockheed Martin....
C-130 Hercules

C-130 Hercules

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft built by Lockheed. It is the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide....
in the 15th Air Transport Wing based at Melsbroek, Belgium, which in time is planned to be replaced by seven Airbus A400M

Airbus A400M

Dassault Falcon

The Dassault Falcon is a family of business jets, manufactured by Dassault Aviation.Aircraft include:* Dassault Falcon 10 Scaled down Falcon 20 ...
and the Airbus A310. The Sea King helicopters and the Alouette III SAR helicopters will be active for years. They will be replaced by NH-90's

NHI NH90

The NHI NH90 is a medium sized, twin-engine, multi-role military, fly-by-wire helicopter manufactured by NHIndustries. The NH90, which can be flown by a single pilot, is designed to operate by night and day and in poor weather....
(10: 4 NFH + 6 TTH).

In 2004, as part of the new unified structure, the Army Aviation units were transferred to the COMOPSAIR. These contain the Agusta A109

Agusta A109

The AgustaWestland AW109 is a helicopter manufactured by Agusta of Italy. It is a light-weight, twin engine, eight seat multi-purpose helicopter....
attack helicopter, and the Alouette II training and recce helicopter.

Within the framework of its commitments within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization , also called the Atlantic Alliance, is a military alliance established by the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on 4 April 1949....
. Belgium has allotted its 72 F-16s to NATO purposes. Two squadrons with a total of 16 aircraft have been designated for use by the Rapid Reaction Forces.

In February 2008, minister of defence Pieter De Crem

Pieter De Crem

Pieter Frans Norbert Jozef Raymond De Crem is a Belgium, Flanders politician and member of Christian Democratic and Flemish . He is the current Minister of Defense in the Belgian federal government, i.e....
announced that due to increasing problems and poor servicability, the 2 A310's are to be replaced as soon as possible by two aircraft in the same class.

Recent Operations

In January 1991, 18 Mirage 5 aircraft of the 3rd Tactical Wing were deployed to Turkey's

Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in southwest Asia and Thrace in the Balkans region of Southern Europe....
Diyarbakir

Diyarbakir

Diyarbakir is the largest city in southeastern Turkey. Situated on the banks of the River Tigris, it is the seat of Diyarbakir Province, and has a population of 2.5 million....
air base. During this operation, Belgian planes carried out several flights along the Iraqi border. After this operation the obsolete Mirage 5's were phased out.

On July 15, 1996 a C-130 with serial CH-06 carrying 37 members of the Dutch Army Fanfare Band and 4 crew crashed at Eindhoven

Eindhoven Airport

Eindhoven Airport is a regional airport near Eindhoven, Netherlands. In terms of the number of served passengers it is the second largest airport in the Netherlands, with 1.6 million passengers in 2008 ....
after a birdstrike while executing a go-around resulting in the loss of power to three engines. 34 Netherlands military were killed as a result of the crash and onboard fire, only 7 survived.

From October 1996 on, the Belgian Air Force cooperated with the Dutch Royal Air Force in the Deployable Air Task Force in patrolling former Yuguslavian airspace. F-16s of the 2nd and 10th Tactical Wings, operating from the Italian bases of Villafranca and Amendola, were assigned to missions insuring the control of a No-Fly Zone over Yugoslavia, and providing the air support necessary for UN and NATO troops. Between March 24 and June 10, 1999, 12 Belgian F-16s carried out 679 combat sorties - the first time since the second World War that Belgian aircraft took part in active war operations in enemy territory - against Serbia

Serbia

Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country in Central Europe and Balkans Europe, covering the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and the central part of the Balkans....
during the Kosovo

Kosovo

Kosovo is a disputed region in the Balkans. Its majority is governed by the partially-recognised Republic of Kosovo . Serbia does not recognise the secession of Kosovo and considers it a United Nations-governed entity within its sovereign territory, the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija that was re-created by Slobodan M...
crisis. The last Belgian F-16 detachment left Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
in August 2001.

On March 29, 2004, four F-16s from Kleine Brogel were transferred under NATO's

NATO

Baltic Air Policing

The Baltic air-policing mission is a NATO air defence Scrambling in order to guard the airspace over the three Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania....
mission to the Sioulai air base in Lithuania

Lithuania

Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states. Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad Oblast to the southwest....
for three months, where they were employed in monitoring the Lithuania

Lithuania

Latvia

Latvia The Latvians are a Baltic peoples culturally related to the Estonians and Lithuanians, with the Latvian language having many similarities with Lithuanian language, but not with the Estonian language....
n, and Estonia

Estonia

Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Finland across the Gulf of Finland, to the west by Sweden across the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by the Russia ....
n skies.

In July 2005, four F-16s deployed to Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Afghanistan , officially the Islamic republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country that is located approximately in the center of Asia....
to support the NATO

NATO

International Security Assistance Force

International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security and development mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement ....
.

On September 9, 2005, an F-16 crashed near Vlieland

Vlieland

Vlieland is a municipality in the northern Netherlands. The municipality of Vlieland has only one major town: Oost-Vlieland . It is the second-least population density municipality in the Netherlands ....
, The Netherlands. The pilot was killed.

In 2006, Belgian Hunter unmanned air vehicles deployed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo , is a country in central Africa with a small length of Atlantic coastline. It is the third largest list of African countries in order of geographical area....
as part of the EU EUFOR peacekeeping

Peacekeeping

Peacekeeping, as defined by the United Nations, is "a way to help countries torn by conflict create conditions for sustainable peace." It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
mission.

On May 5, 2006, a Belgian C-130 "Hercules" undergoing updating at the Sabena Technics was destroyed when the hangar that it was in burned to the ground. The C-130 and three commercial planes were destroyed beyond recovery. The Belgian Air Force announced its intention to acquire a second hand C-130 to replace the one lost in the fire. A month later, the Air Component acquired a C-130E from the American operator Evergreen (serial N130EV, to become CH14).

On December 1, 2006 the Belgian Air Force deployed again under Baltic Air Policing

Baltic Air Policing

The Baltic air-policing mission is a NATO air defence Scrambling in order to guard the airspace over the three Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania....
mission four F-16 MLU aircraft to Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania, where they are used to protect the airspace of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

As from August 2008, four F-16's will be deployed to Kandahar in Afghanistan in support of the Dutch land forces.

On June 27, 2008 an Agusta A109

Agusta A109

The AgustaWestland AW109 is a helicopter manufactured by Agusta of Italy. It is a light-weight, twin engine, eight seat multi-purpose helicopter....
helicopter crashed in Halleux. The pilot, co-pilot, a doctor and a nurse where injured.

Strength

! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes |----- | Aérospatiale SA 318 Alouette II

Aérospatiale Alouette II

The Alouette II is a light helicopter originally manufactured by Sud Aviation and later A?rospatiale, both of France. The Alouette II was the first production helicopter to use a gas turbine instead of a conventional heavier piston engine....
| | Light Utility Helicopter | SA 318C | 5 | 3 will remain in service until 2011 |----- | Aérospatiale SA 316 Alouette III

Aérospatiale Alouette III

The A?rospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation and later manufactured by A?rospatiale of France....
| | Light Utility Helicopter | SA 316B | 3 | Mainly used by Belgian Navy |----- | Agusta A109

Agusta A109

The AgustaWestland AW109 is a helicopter manufactured by Agusta of Italy. It is a light-weight, twin engine, eight seat multi-purpose helicopter....
| | Light Recce/Attack Helicopter | A109BA | 31 | |----- |Fouga Magister

Fouga Magister

The Fouga Magister was a 1950s France two-seat jet trainer. The related Fouga Z?phyr was a carrier-capable version for the French Navy.Although it is often lauded as the first purpose built two-seat turbojet-powered trainer aircraft, similar claims are made for the Fokker S.14 Machtrainer whose first flight, production, and service entry w...
| |Jet trainer |CM.170R |1 |Operated for airshow acrobatics |----- | Airbus A310

Airbus A310

The Airbus A310 is a medium to long-range Wide-body aircraft airliner. Launched in 1978, it was the second aircraft created by the Airbus consortium of European aerospace companies, which is now fully owned by EADS....
| | VIP / Troop Transport Aircraft | A310-222 | 2 | Replacement intended following period of poor reliability |----- | Airbus A400M

Airbus A400M

The Airbus A400M is a four-engine turboprop military transport and tanker, designed and built by the European corporation Airbus Military. It has been ordered by 10 countries and will replace a...
| | Medium Transport Aircraft | A400M | 0 | Intention to order 7, with deliveries from 2018 |----- | Aermacchi SF.260 | | Propeller-driven Trainer | Total
SF.260D
SF.260M | 34
9
25 | |----- | Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet

Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet

Dassault Falcon 20

Embraer ERJ 145 family

The ERJ 145 is a family of regional jets produced by Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace company. Family members include the ERJ 135, ERJ 140, and ERJ 145, as well as the Embraer Legacy business jet and the Embraer R-99 family of military aircraft....
| | Light Transport Aircraft | ERJ 135LR | 2 | |----- | Embraer ERJ 145

Embraer ERJ 145 family

Grob G-102 Astir

The G102 Astir is a single seat glassfibre FAI Standard Class sailplane, designed by Burkhart Grob and built by Grob. It was the first Grob-designed sailplane, with the first flight in December 1974....
| | Trainer Sailplane | G-102 | 6 | Used by Air Cadets |----- | Lockheed C-130 Hercules | | Medium Transport Aircraft | C-130-10 | 12 | 1 C-130E ordered and delivered; modification to H standard done, operational for begin 2009 |----- | Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon | | Multirole Fighter | Total
F-16AM
F-16BM | 69
54
15 | MLU versions
license-built by SABCA

Société Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aéronautiques

The Soci?t?s Anonyme Belge de Constructions A?ronautiques is a Belgium aerospace company, a subsidiary of the Dassault Group.Its main sectors of activity are civil aviation, outer space and Fighter aircraft....
|----- | NHI NH90

NHI NH90

The NHI NH90 is a medium sized, twin-engine, multi-role military, fly-by-wire helicopter manufactured by NHIndustries. The NH90, which can be flown by a single pilot, is designed to operate by night and day and in poor weather....
| | Transport Helicopter | Total
NFH
TTH | 10
4
6 | To be delivered from 2011 |----- | RQ-5 Hunter

RQ-5 Hunter

The RQ-5 Hunter unmanned aerial vehicle was originally intended to serve as the United States Army's Short Range UAV system for division and corps commanders....
(B-Hunter) | | Reconnaissance UAV

Unmanned aerial vehicle

File:MQ-9 Reaper in flight .jpgAn unmanned aerial vehicle is an unpiloted aircraft. UAVs come in two varieties: some are controlled from a remote location, and others fly autonomously based on pre-programmed flight plans using more complex dynamic automation systems....
| MQ-5B | 6 aircraft and two ground control stations | |----- | Westland Sea King

Westland Sea King

The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a United Kingdom license-built version of the United States SH-3 Sea King helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters....
| | Search and rescue helicopter | Mk.48 | 4 | One has been retired, another is to be used for spare parts leaving only 3 airworthy Sea Kings |}

Belgian Air Force

Early years

During the Cold War

Post-Cold War reforms - COMOPSAIR

Recent Operations

Strength

See also

Bibliography

External links