Kleine Brogel Air Base

History

In December 1944, during WW2 work began on an air field Klein Brogel by Allied forces, with work being done by the British Royal Engineers near Kleine Brogel. The base supported allied operations in region after landings in Normandy, as they headed east. By 1 March the Royal Canadian air force flying late model Spitfire fighter aircraft arrived at the base. Aircraft included versions of the Spitfire like the Spitfire FR Mk XIV, and other late model versions. There was various patrols, eventually the fighters were moved east as the war progressed. With VE Day in May 1945, wartime operations ended Allied forces left the base by September 1945.

In March 1945, Kleine Brogel airbase was established and the next months the first fighter squadrons arrived. As the decades progressed newer fighters arrived, F-104 fighters in the 1960s and F-16 fighter aircraft in the 1980s. It was one of the many important air bases in Western Europe, that helped establish air defense in Belgium. From around 1950 to 1990, the Cold War created a tense defense environment. The basic idea was each side stockpiled nuclear weapons intimidate the other side and, thus prevent a war from occurring. KB was one of the bases on Quick Reaction Alert. At some points there was some discussion about the NATO nuclear weapons at times being stored in the facility by the United States Air Force (USAF) in conjunction with military as overseen by the Belgian government. Like any possible nuclear facility the base has a high degree of attention paid to it, due to the seriousness of such devices.{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121013748/http://www.motherearth.org/nuke/dossierkb.php | archive-date=21 January 2015

In 2010 after many years of work, the Kleine Brogel aircraft museum was established, featuring history and aviation exhibits. One aircraft there is the historical Fouga Magister jet-powered jet training aircraft.

Before June 2013, none of the five NATO member states whose air forces store nuclear bombs domestically (Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey), have provided an official confirmation of its existence. However, former Italian President Francesco Cossiga declared that the Aeronautica Militare hosted or shared US nuclear bombs just as other NATO member states do. In an interview he talked about French weapons. On 10 June 2013, former Dutch prime minister Ruud Lubbers confirmed the existence of 22 shared nuclear bombs at Volkel Air Base.

Kleine Brogel Air Base is also the home of the United States Air Force's 701st Munitions Support Squadron which is the unit in charge of looking after the nuclear bombs. As of 2023, Kleine Brogel is one of six active air bases in five European countries with B61 nuclear bombs in underground WS3 Weapon Storage and Security System inside aircraft shelters.

AFN Benelux broadcasts from Kleine Brogel Air Base at an FM frequency of 106.2 MHz.

In September 2023, Kleine Brogel hosted its Belgian Air Force Days, with many new and historical aircraft on display. Air Forces from around Europe came and showed off many aircraft of different types. One of the highlights was the 70th anniversary show of the Patrouille de France. The previous Air Force Day show was in 2018, five years earlier.

The base has also hosted Tiger Meets, in which aircraft from all over adorned with colorful tiger themes; KB hosted for example the 45th anniversary.

In November 2025, the military base was the target of several drone reconnaissance flights who were deemed by the Belgian defense minister to be acts of espionage.

Based units

Units based at Kleine Brogel.

Belgian Air Force

10th Tactical Wing

• Flying Group
  • 31st Squadron – F-16AM Falcon
  • 349th Squadron – F-16AM Falcon
  • Operational Conversion Unit – F-16BM Falcon
  • Current Operations Squadron
• Maintenance Group
• Defense and Support Group

United States Air Force

US Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA)

• Third Air Force
  • 52nd Fighter Wing
    • 52nd Munitions Maintenance Group
      • 701st Munition Support Squadron

References

References

1. {{AIP BE. EBBL. KLEINE-BROGEL (MIL)
2. "Kleine-Brogel Air Force Museum".
3. Malcolm Chalmers and Simon Lunn. (March 2010). "NATO's Tactical Nuclear Dilemma". [[Royal United Services Institute]].
4. (2009-04-10). "Yankee Bombs Go Home: Foreign Minister Wants US Nukes out of Germany". Der Spiegel.
5. (21 April 2013). "Obama accused of nuclear U-turn as guided weapons plan emerges". The Guardian.
6. "Kleine-Brogel Air Force Museum".
7. [http://news.panorama.it/oltrefrontiera/armi-nucleari-italia Armi nucleari in Italia: dove, come, perché]{{webarchive. link. ()
8. [http://www.repubblica.it/ultimora/24ore/SEGRETO-STATO-COSSIGA-IN-ITALIA-CI-SONO-BOMBE-ATOMICHE/news-dettaglio/3467588 SEGRETO STATO: COSSIGA, IN ITALIA CI SONO BOMBE ATOMICHE] {{webarchive. link. ()
9. (10 June 2013). "US nuclear bombs 'based in Netherlands' - ex-Dutch PM Lubbers". [[BBC]].
10. "United States Air Forces in Europe - Munitions Support Squadron [MUNSS]".
11. "10 WTAC USAFE Det".
12. Hans Christensen. (2023-09-01). "The C-17A Has Been Cleared To Transport B61-12 Nuclear Bomb To Europe".
13. "Radio Frequencies".
14. (2023-09-20). "REVIEW: Belgian Air Force Days, Kleine Brogel".
15. "Kleine Brogel Tigermeet".
16. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/belgium-investigating-new-drone-sightings-over-military-base-2025-11-02/
17. "Organisation". [[Belgian Air Force]].
18. "701st Munitions Support Squadron". US Air Force.
19. Hans Christensen. (2023-12-13). "New Nuclear Bomb Training At Dutch Air Base".