Belgian Armed Forces: Land Operations Command, Naval Operations Command, Air Operations Commands. Active 38,452 personnel.(Army 14,013 Navy 1,605 Air 7,203 Medical Service 1,912 Joint Service 13,719) Reserve 2,040 personnel.

BELGIAN ARMED FORCES AIR COMPONENT (BAAC) • Luchtcomposant / Composant Aèrienne Air Component
7,203 personnel. Flying hours 165 hrs/yr on cbt ac. 500 hrs/yr on tpt ac. 200 hrs/yr for trg purposes

Forces by Role & Equipment by Type

(COMOPSAIR / Belgische Luchtmacht)

• AIRCRAFT 89 combat capable. Total 172+ Aircraft.

Multi-role Fighter FGA 2 (Tac) wg with 89 AD/FGA/ Recce (4 ADX/FBX sqn, 1 AD/FGA/trg unit)

72 Lockheed Martin F-16A/AM MLU Fighting Falcon;
17 Lockheed Martin F-16A/AM MLU Fighting Falcon (AD/Training);

(Mid-Life Update/ plus 16 in store at Weelde)

Transport 1 wg with 23+ Tpt ac :

2 Airbus A-310-222 (VIP/Transport, from Singapore Airlines);

2 Airbus A-321-200 (VIP Transport);

11 Lockheed C-130H Hercules;

2 Embraer ERJ-135 LR;

2 Embraer ERJ-145 LR;

2 Dassault Falcon 20E-5 (VIP Transport);

1 Dassault Falcon 900B (VIP Transport);

  Airbus A-400M (+ 8 deliveries from 2018)

Training 1 wg 60 Trg ac:

1 Basic Flying Training sqn with 23 SIAI-Marchetti SF-260MB, 9 SIAI-Marchetti SF.260D

1 FRA/BEL Advanced Flying Training unit with 28 Dassault-Breguet Alpha Jet E

5 Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub

• HELICOPTER 4 combat capable. Total 33 Helicopters.

Search and Rescue 1 unit with 4 SAR hel:

4 Westland Sea King Mk.48 (HAS-2)

Utility 1 wg with 29 Utl Hel:

26 Agusta A109BA (obs);

3 Sud Aviation SE313A/SA318C Alouette II (AOP/Training)

Search and Rescue and Transport

4 NHI NH90-NFH (deliveries from 2013);

6 NHI NH90-TTH (deliveries from 2013);

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

• UAV • Reconnaissance 1 sqn with 15 Recce UAV:

15 IAI Eagle RQ-5 B-Hunter systems (6 ground control stations, the 9 remaining drones are expected to be retired in 2017.)

• MISSILES
  AAM: AIM-120B AMRAAM; AIM-9M/N Sidewinder
  ASM: AGM-65G Maverick

• BOMBS

  Conventional: Mk 84, Mk 82, BLU 109 II; GBU-24 Paveway III

  INS/GPS guided: GBU-31 JDAM

  Laser-Guided: GBU-10/ GBU-12 Paveway

  PODS Infra-red/TV: 6 LANTIRN, 7 Sniper

Army Air Defence Systems

AD • 24 SAM

24 Mistral

• FACILITIES

 Air Force Main Headquarters: Quartier Reine Elisabeth, Rue D'Evere, 1140 Bruxelles.

 Belgian AFAirfields and Airbases Organisation:

Current Organisational Structure: The flying units of the Belgian Air Component are administered by COMOPSAIR (Command Operations Air), which replaced the previous Tactical Air Force Command and Training & Instructional Group in September 2000. Additionally, Base Command is responsible for the infrastructure and maintenance. Individual Smaldeel (squadrons) are grouped into single airbase Wings.

Air bases: The main air bases currently used are Beauvechain, Florennes, Kleine Brogel, Bierset, Elsenborn, Koksijde and Brussels-Melsbroek.

Located at Coxijde, Kleine-Brogel, Florennes, Bierset, Beauvechain, Melsbroek

Chef Defense: Evere

Evere - Commandant van de Luchtcomponent:

Gavere - Air Traffic Control Centre (Radar Guidance)    

Tongeren - Control and Reporting Centre (Radar Guidance)

Beauvechain - Meteorologische Wing

Oud-Heverlee - Militaire Kennels Commando en Kennel Centrum

Beauvechain (EBBE) Air Base (Bevekom):

Competence Center Air/CC Air Wing:

5sm (Smaldeel) Squadron (Faucon Égyptien/ Egyptische Valk): SF260MD, SF260D

9sm Squadron (Cocotte verte/ Groene Cocotte): SF260M+, SF260D

1. Wing (1 Opleididings en Trainings Wing)

17. MRH Squadron (Griffon /Griffioen): NH90-TTH, A109BA

18. MRH Squadron (Arès-Leonidas): NH90-TTH, A109BA

15. OCTU Squadron: NH90-TTH, A109BA

255. Maintenance Group/Test Flight Service: NH90-TTH, A109BA

Functioneel Smaldeel (Engineering)      

Smaldeel Propeller (Engineering)         

Smaldeel Jet (Engineering)      

Smaldeel Transport en Technische Steun (Logistics)     

Groep Verdediging & Steun                 

Smaldeel Verdediging (Property Protection)     

Steun Smaldeel (Logistics)      

Goetsenhoven - Militair Centrum voor Zweefvliegen: L-21B      

Cazaux (FR) - Ecole de Pilotage Franco-Belge:Alpha Jet         

Vlieggroep - 7 Smaldeel: SF-260MD, Alpha Jet           

Smaldeel Luchtdienst

Melsbroek (EBMB) Air Base Located at Brussels

15 Wing Luchttransport:

20. Flight Tactical Transport Squadron (Sioux Blue/Blauwe Sioux): C-130H                                           

21. Flight Liaison & Long Haul Squadron (Sioux Rouge/Rode Sioux): A321-200, A330-300, ERJ145LR/135LR, Falcon 900B, Falcon 20E-5,  

Smaldeel Crew Management / Ops & Training Squadron (Sioux Vert/Groene Sioux): C-130H, A-310, A321-200, A330-300, ERJ145LR/135LR, Falcon 900B/20E-5 (all on loan)       

Smaldeel Operaties en Training                     

Smaldeel Luchtdienst              

Maintenance Group                

Smaldeel C-130 (Engineering)  

Smaldeel Lijn en Communicatie (Engineering)   

Steun Smaldeel (Logistics)      

Groep Verdediging & Steun               

Smaldeel Verdediging (Property Protection)     

Smaldeel Steun (Logistics)      

Smaldeel Aerogare Militaire Luchthaven (Logistics)       

Vlieggroep (EBFS) Air Base Located at Florennes

2 Tactische Wing:

1. Smaldeel (Chardon Squadron): F-16AM, F-16BM                             

350 Smaldeel (Ambiorix Squadron): F-16AM, F-16BM     

80. UAV Squadron (80 Smaldeel -Elsenborn): B-Hunter UAV
Smaldeel Luchtdienst

Maintenance Group                

Smaldeel Lijn en Bewapening (Engineering)      

Smaldeel Maintenance Vliegtuigen (Engineering)          

Smaldeel Elektronica en Telecommunicaties (Engineering)        

Smaldeel Transport Auto (Engineering) 

Logistieke Steun (Logistics)     

Groep Verdediging & Steun               

Smaldeel Verdediging (Property Protection)     

Steun Smaldeel (Logistics)

Kleine Brogel (EBBL) Air Base

10 Air Wing:

31 Smaldeel (Tijger/Tigre Squadron): F-16AM, F-16BM                         

349 Smaldeel (Goedendag Squadron): F-16AM, F-16BM            

OCU Squadron: F-16BM

Smaldeel Luchtdienst            

Operational Conversion Unit                

Maintenance Group                

Smaldeel Lijn en Bewapening (Engineering)      

Smaldeel Onderhoud (Engineering)      

Smaldeel Elektronica en Telecommunicaties (Engineering)        

Smaldeel Motoren & Transport (Engineering)    

Logistieke Steun (Logistics)     

Group Verdediging & Steun               

Smaldeel Verdediging (Property Protection)     

Steun Smaldeel (Logistics)

Koksijde (EBFN) Air Base

SAR Basis Koksijde:

40 sm (Smaldeel) Squadron: NH90-NFH, Sea King Mk48

Heli Flight: SA-316B

Smaldeel Maintenance (Engineering)    

Smaldeel Verdediging en Steun (Property Protection)

Organization

Bierset Air Base

Helicopter Wing for Army Aviation

255 Maintenance Groep                       

Vlieggroep                  

16 Smaldeel: A-109H   

17 Smaldeel: A-109H   

18 Smaldeel: A-109H   

Liasion Flight: SE-3130

Smaldeel Luchtdienst              

Groep Verdediging & Steun                 

Smaldeel Verdediging (Property Protection)     

Smaldeel Steun (Logistics)

Note: Belgiumhas 27 airports with paved runways (over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 9), and 16 airports with unpaved runways (914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 15), and one heliport.

Official Air Component Website: http://www.mil.be/nl/luchtcomponent/