Chièvres Air Base

Chièvres Air Base
Aerial view of Chièvres Air Base
IATA: none ICAO: EBCV
Summary
Airport type	Military
Operator	424th Air Base Squadron
Built	1917
In use	1917-present
Elevation AMSL	194 ft / 59 m
Coordinates	50°34′33″N 003°49′52″E / 50.57583°N 3.83111°E / 50.57583; 3.83111Coordinates: 50°34′33″N 003°49′52″E / 50.57583°N 3.83111°E / 50.57583; 3.83111
Map
EBCV Location in Belgium
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 08/26 2,498 8,196 Asphalt/Concrete
Sources: Belgian AIP

Chièvres Air Base (ICAO: EBCV) is a United States Air Force operated airfield located 1 nautical mile (1.9 km; 1.2 mi) east southeast of the Belgian town of Chièvres and about 12 mi (19 km) from Headquarters, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), in Casteau. It is mainly used to provide logistic support to NATO and SHAPE. The station and support facilities are operated by the United States Army Garrison Benelux for NATO.

The United States Air Force 424th Air Base Squadron (ABS) is the operational unit at Chièvres Air Base. It is supported by the 86th Operations Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It functions as the Senior Airfield Authority for the airfield on behalf of the US. The airfield is considered part of SHAPE as NATO provides the US funding to maintain and operate the airfield. Even though the U.S. Air Force's 424th ABS Squadron operates the airfield and runways, overall airfield maintenance operations and the base operations are entrusted to the USAG BENELUX, a U.S. Army unit. This makes Chievres Air Base the only actual "base" in the Army since Army installations are usually referred to as "posts" or "airfields".

USAG Benelux provides base support operations and supports retirees and other personnel assigned to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe.

The first airfield at Chièvres was established in 1914 by the Germans during their occupation of Belgium in World War I.

The current airfield was built by the Belgian Army in the 1930s, and at the end of 1939, the Belgian military began converting Chièvres into a diversion airfield. It was captured during the Battle of Belgium by the invading German Wehrmacht in May 1940.

Shortly after its capture, the airfield was turned over to the Luftwaffe, and Chièvres became a major air base during the Battle of France. On 2 June, Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26) moved Messerschmitt Bf 109E fighters to the airfield and on 9 June Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30) moved Junkers Ju 88A attack bombers to the field. Both of these units were heavily engaged in combat operations with the French and the British Expeditionary Force in France.