De Peel Air Base
Encyclopedia
De Peel air base is a military air base in the Netherlands used by the Royal Netherlands Air Force
guided missile
division. It has currently has only one, though not actively used, runway remaining.
, even though the base was expanded in 1973 for possible NATO use. In 1993 it was closed as an operational airfield and is now used a by the RNLAF's guided missile division (Groep Geleide Wapens, or GGW). One runway remains however, though not actively used. It is used by gliders however and still incidentally by light aircraft as well. Military aerial exercises also take place in its airspace
.
air defence system; 802 and 803 squadron. The 4 other squadrons are: 800 Squadron (Command and Control), 650 squadron (support), 602 squadron (reserve), 951 squadron (maintenance and logistics support). The Royal Dutch Army houses their ground-to-air units at De Peel known as the Commando Air Artillery (Dutch: Commando Luchtdoelartillerie, or CoLua for short). The Air Artillery uses mobile radar, NASAMS II AMRAAM and Stinger
missile systems, the latter either as a shoulder-fired weapon or mounted to either Mercedes Benz
or Fennek
vehicles.
Royal Netherlands Air Force
The Royal Netherlands Air Force , Dutch Koninklijke Luchtmacht , is the military aviation branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Its ancestor, the Luchtvaartafdeling of the Dutch Army was founded on 1 July 1913, with four pilots...
guided missile
Guided Missile
Guided Missile is a London based independent record label set up by Paul Kearney in 1994.Guided Missile has always focused on 'the underground', preferring to put out a steady flow of releases and developing the numerous GM events around London and beyond....
division. It has currently has only one, though not actively used, runway remaining.
History
The air base was founded as a diversion airfield in 1954 with two parallel runways (06L/24R and 06R/24L) and never served as an active base for aircraft, seeing only incidental usage from the aerial photo reconnaissance unit from nearby Volkel Air BaseVolkel Air Base
Volkel Air Base is a military airbase used by the Royal Netherlands Air Force - Dutch: Koninklijke Luchtmacht , and is located near the town of Uden, Noord-Brabant, in the Netherlands. It is home to three F-16 Fighting Falcon squadrons, 311, 312 and 313...
, even though the base was expanded in 1973 for possible NATO use. In 1993 it was closed as an operational airfield and is now used a by the RNLAF's guided missile division (Groep Geleide Wapens, or GGW). One runway remains however, though not actively used. It is used by gliders however and still incidentally by light aircraft as well. Military aerial exercises also take place in its airspace
Airspace
Airspace means the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a country above its territory, including its territorial waters or, more generally, any specific three-dimensional portion of the atmosphere....
.
Operators
The airbase is home to 6 squadrons from the RNLAF, 2 of which use the MIM-104 PatriotMIM-104 Patriot
The MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile system, the primary of its kind used by the United States Army and several allied nations. It is manufactured by the Raytheon Company of the United States. The Patriot System replaced the Nike Hercules system as the U.S. Army's primary High to Medium...
air defence system; 802 and 803 squadron. The 4 other squadrons are: 800 Squadron (Command and Control), 650 squadron (support), 602 squadron (reserve), 951 squadron (maintenance and logistics support). The Royal Dutch Army houses their ground-to-air units at De Peel known as the Commando Air Artillery (Dutch: Commando Luchtdoelartillerie, or CoLua for short). The Air Artillery uses mobile radar, NASAMS II AMRAAM and Stinger
FIM-92 Stinger
The FIM-92 Stinger is a personal portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile , which can be adapted to fire from ground vehicles and helicopters , developed in the United States and entered into service in 1981. Used by the militaries of the U.S...
missile systems, the latter either as a shoulder-fired weapon or mounted to either Mercedes Benz
Mercedes-Benz G-Class
The original 460-series Geländewagen went on sale for civilian buyers in 1979, after having debuted in February of that year. It was offered with two wheelbases, a short wheelbase of 2,400 mm and a long one of 2,850 mm. One could choose between three body styles: A two-door short...
or Fennek
Fennek
The Fennek, named after the fennec , or LGS Fennek, with LGS being short for Leichter Gepanzerter Spähwagen in German , is a four wheeled armed reconnaissance vehicle produced by the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Dutch Defence Vehicle Systems...
vehicles.