Belgian Defence Air Assets 2004

BELGIAN DEFENCE

AIR COMPONENT

Air Assets Orbat

COMOPSAIR - Operational Air Command HQ Evere (Brussels)

1 Wing - Beauvechain AB

16 Squadron MRH - "St. Michael" - Agusta A109BA Hirundo

17 Squadron MRH - "Griffon/Griffioen" - Agusta A109BA Hirundo

18 Squadron MRH - "Arès-Leonidas" - Agusta A109BA Hirundo

Operational Conversion & Training Unit (OCTU) - a/c: Agusta A109BA Hirundo

Test Flight Service (TFS) "Wolf" of 255 Maint Gp - Agusta A109BA Hirundo

Missions: Fire Support, Recce, Observation, Medical evacuation and Transport

From September 2006 onwards the Belgian helicopter pilots BRWT is organized in common with French ALAT pilots at the EAALAT of Dax (F). Phase IV is organized in the OCTU at Beauvechain flying the A109BA.

1 Wing - CC Air Beauvechain AB

5 Squadron - SIAI Marchetti SF-260M&D - Missions: Primary Flying Training (PFT) and Basic Flying Training (BFT)
9 Squadron - "Cocotte verte/Groene Cocotte" - SIAI Marchetti SF-260M&D - Mission: training of instructors, retraining for other tasks, staff pilot training.

Militair Centrum Voor Zweefvliegen / Centre Militaire de Vol à Voile (MCVZ/CMVV) - (Goetsenhoven AB) - Piper L-21B Super Cub. Missions: Operational and logistical support to Belgian Air Cadets

Remarks:

- Since late June 2004, 11 Squadron is permanentlu detached at Cazaux AB (F). N° 11 Squadron disbanded on September 2005. At the same time all Air Component upgraded AMD-BA Alpha Jet 1B (29 aircraft also designated Alpha Jet 1B+) were transferred to the French-Belgian Advanced Jet Training School (AJeTS) of Cazaux, France. The jet training of the Belgian fighter pilots has been completely taken over by the AJeTS since late 2004. Phase III or Advanced Flying Training (AFT) is organized at the BA 705 of Tours-Saint Symphorien on French Alpha Jet E (since October 2004) while Phase IV or Initial Operational Training (IOT) is organized at the BA 120 of Cazaux on Belgian Alpha Jet 1B (since September 2004).

- The Belgian Air Cadets are not a COMOPSAIR element. Nonetheless this civil association has the full support of COMOPSAIR (mainly through the MCZV/CMVV) and is structured into four squadrons operating from: Goetsenhoven, Weelde, Bertrix & Florennes air bases. The Belgian Air Cadets HQ is located at Goetsenhoven AB. The association glider fleet is currently composed of four Glaser-Dirks DG-300 Elan, four AMS-Flight DG-505 Elan ORION 17/20, zeven Grob G 102 Astir CS Jeans, fourteen Grob G 103/A Twin Astir I/II/Acro and one Siren C 30S Edelweiss. Detailed list of the Air Cadets glider fleet.

2 Tactical Wing - Florennes AB

1 Squadron - "Chardon" - F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon Missions: Fighter-Bomber - Air Defence - Tactical Reconnaissance

350 Squadron - "Ambiorix" - F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon Mission: Air Defence - Fighter-Bomber

80 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Suadron - (IAI) Eagle B-Hunter - 14 UAV's and 5 Ground Stations

10 Tactical Wing - Kleine Brogel AB

31 Squadron - "Tijger" - F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon Missions: Fighter-Bomber / Strike - Air Defence

349 Squadron - "Goedendag" - F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon Mission: Air Defence - Fighter-Bomber / Strike

Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) - F-16-AM/BM Fighting Falcon Mission: F-16 Conversion

15 Transport Wing - Melsbroek (Brussels) AB

Crew Management Squadron
- Tactical Transport Flight (TTF) - "Blauwe Sioux/Sioux Bleu" - a/c: 11 Lockheed C-130H Hercules
- Liaison & Long Haul Flight (LLHF) - "Rode Sioux/Sioux Rouge" - a/c: 1 Airbus A330-300 (leasd), 2 AMD Falcon 20E , 1 AMD 900B, 2 Embraer ERJ 135LR and 2 Embraer ERJ 145LR
Ops & Training Squadron (OTS) - a/c: all transport aircraft types - mission: transport aircraft types conversion and training

Remark:

N° 15 Transport Wing has been completely restructured in 2002. N°s 20 and 21 Squadrons were integrated into a large Crew Management Squadron (also in charge of the crew planning and control) and transformed respectively into Tactical Transport Flight (TTF) and Liaison & Long Haul Flight (LLHF). The Transport Conversion Unit (TCU) "Groene Sioux/Sioux Vert" missions were taken over by a large Ops & Training Squadron (OTS) integrating all aspects of flying instruction as well as intelligence.

Since April 2005 Phase III training for the student pilots selected for transport is organized at the French Armée de l'Air École d'Aviation de Transport (EAT) 319 in BA 702 of Avord (F) flying twin-engine Embraer EMB-121 Xingu; Phase IV or transport aircraft operational conversion is performed at the OTS in Melsbroek AB.

Search And Rescue (SAR)

40 Squadron - Koksijde AB - 4 Westland Seaking Mk.48, - Missions: SAR and transport
Heli Flight Marine - Koksijde AB - 3 Sud-Aviation SA.316B Alouette III - Mission: Support to COMOPSNAV units/ships

Remarks:

- The Heliflight of COMOPSNAV also known as Heli Flight Marine was transferred to COMOPSAIR on July 1st, 2004. For obvious organizational reasons and technical support this small independent unit is linked administratively to N°40 Squadron.