The Composante Air is the new name given to old Belgian Air Force (Belgian Air force ).

History

The history of the Belgian air force begins in 1910 when the Minister for the war, the Hellebaut General, decided, after its baptism the air, to make acquire " aéroplanes".

May 5th, 1911 a Farman type 1910 was delivered, followed of a second on May 24th and two another in August of the same year.

The “company of the aviators” was creates by royal decree on April 13rd, 1913. In August 1914 this company had 22 apparatuses.

The “company of the aviators” became “the Belgian Military aviation” on March 20th, 1915.

“The Belgian military aviation” became “Military Aeronautics/Militair Vliegwezen” on March 1st, 1920.

The day before the second world war military aeronautics had 250 apparatuses whose majority will be destroyed on the ground.

During the second world war, many Belgian pilots illustrated themselves in the RAF.

October 15th, 1946 the “Military aviation Belgian/Belgisch to militair vliegwezen” east creates. It is for the first time a weapon independent of the Army.

January 15th, 1949 it is renamed the “Belgian Air force - Belgische Luchtmacht - Belgian Air Force”

Engagements

Lifting patrols

Acrobobs

This lifting patrol, made up of four apparatuses, evolved/moved on Meteors F-8.

It was creates in 1951 and gave its first presentation on May 18th, 1952.

She was recognized like one of the best patrols lifting European.

The pilots were major Bobby Bladt, the captain Bill Oongena, the Dewulf captain, lieutenant Deprins and lieutenant Pierre Tonet.

She was dissolved in 1956.

Major Bobby Bladt was the promoter of the foundation of the Red Devils in 1957

The Red Devils - Red Devils

This lifting patrol began in 1957 pennies impulse from Major Bobby Bladt, then coldly transferred to Koksijde where it finds his former team-member of the acrobobs, Pierre Tonet.

At the time of the World Fair of Brussels the “Belgian Air Force” wanted to assemble an air meeting of a width ever reached and one needed a patrol of foreground to represent Belgium there. It was the motivation of the creation of this patrol which appeared among the best.

At that time, it evolved/moved on Hawker Hunter F.4. July 5th, 1959, to the meeting of Gosselies, it presented 16 apparatuses evolving/moving in formation at the time of their acrobatics. It will use thereafter of Hawker Hunter F.6.

It will suspend its existence on October 4th, 1963 during the withdrawal of the service of Hunters.

It will reappear of its ashes in 1965, while evolving/moving this time on Fouga Magister CM 170R. Those had recently been evacuated Congolese base of Kamina. It was about the intermediate plane of drive between the propeller plane and the jet of performance.

The formation counted 8 apparatuses and gave its first presentation on June 27th, 1965 to Brustem.

The oil crisis and the restrictions which it implied forced the staff to reduce the patrol to two apparatuses in 1972, three apparatuses in 1973. From 1974 with their dissolution in 1977, the patrol evolved/moved with 6 apparatuses.

The Slivers

This lifting patrol presented a spectacle of virtuosity on F-104G. It was about a presentation of flight synchronized at low altitude and high speed. During this presentation the F-104G crossed with more than 800 km/h at a preset place and by carrying out each one a barrel. They also carried out Immelman, loops and other figures, the whole, mutually in opposed direction, their apparatuses coming opposite with face. The exceptional aspect of their presentation lay in the high speed of evolution which imposed important accelerations to them and returned maintains it of their very difficult synchronization.

They presented their spectacle lasting of 1969 to 1975. On the whole, they gave 68 representation including 46 abroad: France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy.

They gave a last public presentation on June 21st, 1975 and a very last presentation for the colleagues, friends and family member the 11 July 1975.

The pilots were Steve Nuyts and Palmer De Vlieger.

The name of the patrol is an allusion to the form of the F-104G and the impression which emerged from the show: “Slivers” means “splinter” and also “to fly in glares”

Penguins

This patrol evolved/moved on SV4B. It consisted of two apparatuses. The pilots were the Commander aviator Jean Feyten and Lieutenant Paul Christiaens. All two were at that time monitor at the elementary flying school of air force (EPE).

During their presentation, they connected 24 lifting figures in tight formation and 8 change of training in 10 minutes with a loss of altitude of 400 meters only.

Among the formations presented appeared the formations in horizontal line normal, reversed (two apparatuses on the back) and alternated (an apparatus alone on the back), the normal and reversed superimposed formation as well as the formation mirror (the higher plane is in flight back). The average distance between the planes was from 30 to 35 cm.

The patrol existed of 1965 to 1970.

The Swallows

This lifting patrol evolved/moved on SIAI Marchetti SF-260. It was constituted in 1973 and evolved/moved then with two apparatus. and 1976 and 1977, it consisted of three planes.

Their spectacle comprised a first part with a lifting demonstration of flight in formation and a second part devoted to the synchronized flight.

The low speed of SF-260 allowed quite visible evolutions of the public but, in the event of wind, complicated the synchronization of the evolution.

Several pilots were member of this patrol to the son of the years.

The TEAM existed of 1970 to 1983, of 1995 to 1997. Budgetary restrictions were the cause of their suppressions.

Material

Units

1 Wing (Beauvechain)

The 1 Wing currently includes/understands some 1100 people of all rank S and linguistic modes, divided into three groups (Flight, Maintenance and Defense/Support) as well as a medical antenna. The escadrilles of flight which compose the 1 Wing are 5th (Marchetti) and 7th (Fouga).

Within the framework of the strategic planning of modernization of the Armed forces, the 1 Wing became the flying school of Defense. The Base of Beauvechain also accommodates other units or organizations such as Wing Météo, Royal Music of the Air force, the ADSC to only quote most important.

With a few kilometers of the Flemish Brabant and near Limbourg, the 1 Wing is the second employer of the Walloon Brabant and is integrated perfectly in the regional life. Thanks to its very many and cordial bonds with the two speech communities, he wants to be presented in the form of an example of real national citizenship.

10 Tactical Wing (Kleine-Brogel)

The air base of Kleine Brogel, located in the North of the province of the Limbourg, is founded in 1945 by the Allies in sight, initially, to press the operations on the Rhine. In 1951, the Belgian Air force acquires and makes definitively use of the ground. Two years later, the 10 Wing located hitherto at Chièvres moves in Kleine Brogel. This unit, specialized in the various missions of bombardment, is at this time made up of three escadrilles: the 23, 27 and 31 Esc equipped with F-84E/G Thunderjet

15 Wing of Air transport (Melsbroek)

Mobility and flexibility are the two basic requirements within the framework of the new context of safety, and for this purpose, tactical air transport occupies a key position.

These missions are achieved by 15 Wing of Air transport (Melsbroek), which lays out, for the tactical missions, of 10 apparatuses Lockheed C-130 Hercules as well as other types of apparatuses such as the Airbus A310, Dassault Falcon 20, Dassault Falcon 900, Embraer ERJ-135 and ERJ-145.

The mission of 15 Wing can be summarized as follows: " Anything, any time, anywhere ". Indeed 15 Wing transports all kinds of freight and passengers towards the most varied places world, at any moment. 15 Wing and the 40 Héli Flotilla, are the only units of the Air Component which not only are ready permanently, but also carry out their real tasks in times of peace.

2 Tactical Wing (Florennes)

In 1942, the Todt organization undertakes the construction of the aerodrome, on behalf of the Luftwaffe which will use it mainly for the hunting of night (Messerschmidt 110, Focke Wulf 190 and Junckers 88). The base will be released in 1944 by the 1st US Division (Big Red One). The USAAF will use it until 1945 for missions of bombardment (B-26 Marauder of the 344e Groupe).

In 1947, the Belgian Air force settles with Florennes and deploys there within 2nd Wing 1st and the 2nd Flotilla equipped with Supermarine Spitfire. These planes will be replaced by of F-84 E Thunderjet in 1951, F-84 F Thunderstreak in 1955, Mirage 5 BA, Br, data base in 1970 and by of F-16 Fighting Falcon in 1988

80 UAV Sqn (Elsenborn)

It is in December 1998 that the contract of purchase of the B-Hunter was signed. The 1st flight above Belgium took place on March 27th, 2001 with Elsenborn. The year 2002 was devoted to the training of first specialists UAV and the delivery in the system. In 2003, the stress was laid on the training and the qualification of of flight, called Crews.

Air Traffic Control Center (Semmerzake)

The ATCC (Air Traffic Control Centers, control center of the air traffic) SEMMERZAKE ensures the control of the military air traffic and coordination between the civil aviation and military. This task became important only during the 35 last years. Previously, the airspace starting from 7000 meters belonged to the military fighters.

However, the arrival of the civil jets, whose altitude of economical cruise is above the 7000 meters, involved some changes. In addition to this mission of coordination, ATCC SEMMERZAKE provides an assistance to the planes in distress and a help at the time of research. Moreover, it observes the migrations of the birds.

40 Escadrie Héli (Coxyde)

The first April 1961, sees the birth of a new unit on the airfield of Coxyde: the " Héli" flight;. This flight, equipped with five SIKORSKY HSS-1, took again the activities of the fast patrol boats at sea initially planned for research and sauvetages.
During a certain amount of time, two of these helicopters were used by Belgian naval force (currently called Marine).
A second Héli Flight whose mission was transport on short distance of people and material is built-in. This one included/understood seven SIKORSKY S-58C provided by the Belgian Public limit company of the Aerial navigation (SABENA).

April 1st, 1971, the Flight of flight Hélicoptère changed statute and became a flotilla including/understanding four Flights, with in supplement a Flight " Marine" and a Flight of maintenance. In order to be able to use these helicopters in marine overflight, the Belgian naval force replaced SIKORSKY HSS-1 by of Alouette III. The first will arrive on March 14th, 1971 and the last on April 29th of very the année.
After three years of existence like Héli flotilla, the unit will be re-elected name of 40 SQN Héli heritage of its predecessor the Flotilla Transport. This one was creates in April 1954 on the airfield of Melsbroek and used the plane C-119 Flying Boxcar. May 1st, 1955 precisely, this flotilla was dissolved for economic reason. September 30th, 1959, this unit was reconstituted within the framework of the riots proceeding in Belgian Congo.

Control and Reporting Centers GLONS

The " Control and Center" Reporting; (CRC) of Glons is the only unit of the Belgian Air Component being, even in times of peace, under the direct command of OTAN.
The center radar of Glons is thus completely integrated in the defense system air of NATO, extending from the north of Norway until the east of Turquie.
The various radar tracking stations constituting this system, like their central commands, are connected between them by means of connections " data" as well as apparatuses of communication.

Military Kennels of the Air force

The suspension of the military service in 1991 generated many problèmes.
On a side the mission of the Armed forces was to be modified, and this within the framework of an army become professionnelle.
Other side the personnel was to also compensate for the withdrawal of the militiamans of some missions.
It is by wanting to solve this problem that the use of the dogs knew a success and a continuous growth.

School of Light Aviation

Wing Heli

Approximately 800 people work in Wing Heli. Our unit is bilingual (30% the Dutch-speaking ones/70% of French-speaking people).
It counts approximately 9% of female personnel and 2% of civilians. Wing Heli is based in Bierset, close to Liege since September 1995. Its creation goes back to 1916, one spoke then about the 6th Flotilla of Observation which was confined in Houtem-Lez-Furnes.

Wing Weather

It is in 1942, during the second world war, that was created in England, within the Belgian Section of Royal Air Force, the Weather service of Nationale.
Defense Almost completely dissolved in 1946, following the massive demobilizations which marked the end of the war of 1940 - 1945, it took the name, in 1947, of Weather service of the Air force and is established on the military base of Evere. Its command was entrusted to the Lieutenant d' Aviation F. Bastin.

List joint mandators

Ranks

See also: Ranks of the army belge#Composante Air

Voluntary Subordinates

  • Soldier
  • First Soldier
  • Corporal
Voluntary of Elite
  • Corporal Chief
  • First Corporal Chief
  • Corporal Major

Under Subaltern

  • Sergeant
  • First Sergeant
  • First Sergeant Chief
Under Officers of Elite
  • First Sergeant Major
  • Adjudant
Under Senior officers
  • Chief warrant officer
  • Adjudant Major

Subalterns

  • Under Lieutenant
  • Lieutenant
  • Captain
  • Captain Ordering
Senior officers
  • Major
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • Colonel
General Officers
  • Brigadier general
  • General - major
  • Lieutenant General Général

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