Luneville-Chenevieres Air Base
Encyclopedia
Luneville-Chenevieres Air Base is an abandoned military airfield in France
, located approximately 14 miles southwest of Châlons-sur-Marne (Departement de la Marne,Champagne-Ardenne); 77 miles northeast of Paris
.
, NATO faced several problems when attempting to solve the air power survival equation. Planning for first strike survival in both conventional and nuclear wars had to be considered.
The primary operating bases for NATO air forces were built on small parcels of land with very limited dispersal space. It was decided to build dispersal bases away from the primary bases to be used in the event of an emergency. Chenevieres was selected to be one of these "NATO Dispersed Operating Bases
".
No flying unit was ever permanently assigned to Chenevieres and it was used for dispersal training only. However, it did require the same level of equipment as a standard air base. NATO security personnel were required to control base access, guard equipment, munitions and supplies stored on the facility, as well as prevent vandalism.
Construction began in 1953, and Chenevieres Air Base was designed for 50 fighters with three large hangars constructed. In 1955 construction was completed and Det #2, 50th Air Base Group from Toul-Rosières Air Base
was designated as the host unit. Aircraft from the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Toul exercised at the base from 1957 through 1959.
The Toul detachment deactivated on 1 September 1959 and Luneville-Chenevieres was turned over to the United States Army
, but a small detachment, Det 7, 7514th Support Group from Toul maintained security on the base. Army artillery units utilized the base until 1964 when it was turned over to the French Army
.
Under French control, the facility was renamed Quartier La Salle and has been used for equipment storage and as a communications facility.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, located approximately 14 miles southwest of Châlons-sur-Marne (Departement de la Marne,Champagne-Ardenne); 77 miles northeast of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
History
Luneville-Chenevieres Air Base's origins begin in 1950 when, with the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, NATO faced several problems when attempting to solve the air power survival equation. Planning for first strike survival in both conventional and nuclear wars had to be considered.
The primary operating bases for NATO air forces were built on small parcels of land with very limited dispersal space. It was decided to build dispersal bases away from the primary bases to be used in the event of an emergency. Chenevieres was selected to be one of these "NATO Dispersed Operating Bases
NATO Dispersed Operating Bases
NATO Dispersed Operating Bases were developed to improve air power survival when NATO began planning for tactical air bases and aircraft in western Europe during the early Cold War years of the 1950s.- History :...
".
No flying unit was ever permanently assigned to Chenevieres and it was used for dispersal training only. However, it did require the same level of equipment as a standard air base. NATO security personnel were required to control base access, guard equipment, munitions and supplies stored on the facility, as well as prevent vandalism.
Construction began in 1953, and Chenevieres Air Base was designed for 50 fighters with three large hangars constructed. In 1955 construction was completed and Det #2, 50th Air Base Group from Toul-Rosières Air Base
Toul-Rosieres Air Base
Toul-Rosières Air Base is a reserve French Air Force base. It is located in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département of France, 10 miles northeast of the city of Toul, on the west side of the Route nationale 411 Highway about one mile southeast of Rosières-en-Haye.Toul Air Base was used by American...
was designated as the host unit. Aircraft from the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Toul exercised at the base from 1957 through 1959.
The Toul detachment deactivated on 1 September 1959 and Luneville-Chenevieres was turned over to 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...
, but a small detachment, Det 7, 7514th Support Group from Toul maintained security on the base. Army artillery units utilized the base until 1964 when it was turned over to the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
.
Under French control, the facility was renamed Quartier La Salle and has been used for equipment storage and as a communications facility.