The Aviation Magazine No 57 Special Edition 2018 Volume 9 Issue 4 | Page 12

Parts of the vacated infrastructure became the new home of the Allied Air Forces,
Central Europe (NATO) AIRCENT Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP) from
April 1989 until June 30, 2009 when it was relocated to Spain.
On March 15th, 1989, No. 1 Thistle Squadron returned to Florennes. The Thistle
Squadron also took up the reconnaissance role after the Mirage was withdrawn
from service in 1994 and No. 42 Squadron disbanded.
The end of the Warsaw Pact (heralding in the end of the Cold War) led to major
changes in the Belgian Air Force. All training air bases were closed and their
units brought together at Beauvechain Air Base, which became the Air Force’s
Air Academy.
As a consequence, on March 4th, 1996, a third F-16 Squadron arrived at the base.
This was the 350 Squadron, which had been formed during the Second World
War as a Belgian RAF squadron. Between 1946 and 1996 it was part of No. 1
Wing at Beauvechain. As noted above, Beauvechain AB became the new training
centre for the Belgian Air Force. Further force reductions in April 2001 led to the
disbandment of No. 2 Squadron of the 2nd Tactical Wing in Florennes. Currently
No 1 Squadron and 350 Squadron are the only Squadrons that are operational at
Florennes AB.
Florennes celebrated its 75th Anniversary as a Belgian Air Force air base in
2017.