Florennes Air Base
Florennes Air Base, also known as Base Jean Offenberg, is a Belgian Air Force military airbase, compliant to STANAG 3712 category 8, located east-south-east of Florennes, in Wallonia, Belgium. It is home to the 2nd Tactical Wing, operating two squadrons of the F-16 Fighting Falcon|General Dynamics F-16]. The Tactical Leadership Programme, a joint training programme for NATO members, was based at Florennes from 1989 to 2009.
History
In May 1940, during World War II, German Wehrmacht troups conquered the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Belgium became part of the Reichskommissariat of Belgium and Northern France.Luftwaffe fighter units operated from Florennes, including Junkers Ju 88 and Messerschmitt Bf 110 night fighters, and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 day fighters.
It was recaptured in September 1944 and became known as Advanced Landing Ground A-78, after which Western Allied units operating from here included the United States Air Force 430th Fighter Squadron, flying Lockheed Lockheed P-38 Lightnings in the ground attack role, and the United States Army Air Forces 422nd Night Fighter Squadron, flying Northrop P-61 Black Widows.
From 1984 to 1990, the USAF 485th Tactical Missile Wing was located at Florennes, deploying the BGM-109G Ground Launched Cruise Missile system, which were removed in 1989 as part of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
In March 1989, the Tactical Leadership Programme moved to Florennes. The TLP is a joint training programme, originally formed in 1978 by defence members from six NATO countries at Fürstenfeldbruck near Munich in West Germany, and previously based at Jever from 1979. By the time TLP arrived at Florennes, it consisted of NATO members from ten countries. Whilst at Florennes, the TLP conducted multilateral military flying training courses, and expanded to include creating formalised documentation for NATO doctrines, along with other academic studies relating to allied air forces. On 31 July 2009, TLP moved to Albacete in Spain.
Current units
Florennes Air Base is home to four squadrons:1 Squadron, which was formed in 1917, operating F-16's and designated as the first Belgian unit to operate the F-35A.
2 Squadron, reactivated in 2023 to operate the MQ-9B SkyGuardian.
10 Squadron, reactivated in January 2025 as the first F-35 Operations Support Squadron.
350 Squadron, founded in the United Kingdom in 1942 during the Second World War, operating F-16's.
It is also home to the Belgian Defence Aeroclub ASBL.