Vouziers-Sechault Air Base
Encyclopedia
Vouziers-Sechault Air Base is an abandoned military airfield in France
, located approximately 15 miles north-northwest of Sainte-Menehould
(Departement de la Marne,Champagne-Ardenne); 117 miles east-northeast of Paris
.
, NATO faced several problems when attempting to solve the air power survival equation. Planning for first strike survival in both conventional and nuclear wars had to be considered.
The primary operating bases for NATO air forces were built on small parcels of land with very limited dispersal space. It was decided to build dispersal bases away from the primary bases to be used in the event of an emergency. Vouziers was selected to be one of these "NATO Dispersed Operating Bases
".
No flying unit was ever permanently assigned to Vouziers and it was used for dispersal training only. However, it did require the same level of equipment as a standard air base. NATO security personnel were required to control base access, guard equipment, munitions and supplies stored on the facility, as well as prevent vandalism.
Construction began in 1953, and Vouziers Air Base was designed for 50 fighters with three large hangars constructed. In 1957 construction was completed and Det #2, 49th Air Base Group from Étain-Rouvres Air Base
was designated as the host unit. Aircraft from the 388th and 49th Fighter-Bomber Wings at Etain exercised at the base from 1957 through 1959.
The base was deactivated on 1 September 1959 and the facility was maintained by Det #6, 7514th Support Group from Toul-Rosières Air Base
briefly before turning the facility over to the French Air Force
.
The French Air Force used the base initially for flight training, however flight operations ended in 1980 and it was developed as a facility for rapid runway repair. In 2004 the base was deactivated and was placed in reserve status.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, located approximately 15 miles north-northwest of Sainte-Menehould
Sainte-Menehould
Sainte-Menehould is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France.The town and its several restaurants pride themselves on serving a local specialty called pied de cochon or pig's trotters....
(Departement de la Marne,Champagne-Ardenne); 117 miles east-northeast of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
History
Vouziers-Sechault Air Base's origins begin in 1950 when, with the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, NATO faced several problems when attempting to solve the air power survival equation. Planning for first strike survival in both conventional and nuclear wars had to be considered.
The primary operating bases for NATO air forces were built on small parcels of land with very limited dispersal space. It was decided to build dispersal bases away from the primary bases to be used in the event of an emergency. Vouziers was selected to be one of these "NATO Dispersed Operating Bases
NATO Dispersed Operating Bases
NATO Dispersed Operating Bases were developed to improve air power survival when NATO began planning for tactical air bases and aircraft in western Europe during the early Cold War years of the 1950s.- History :...
".
No flying unit was ever permanently assigned to Vouziers and it was used for dispersal training only. However, it did require the same level of equipment as a standard air base. NATO security personnel were required to control base access, guard equipment, munitions and supplies stored on the facility, as well as prevent vandalism.
Construction began in 1953, and Vouziers Air Base was designed for 50 fighters with three large hangars constructed. In 1957 construction was completed and Det #2, 49th Air Base Group from Étain-Rouvres Air Base
Etain-Rouvres Air Base
Étain - Rouvres Air Base is a former USAF base in France. It is located on the Lorraine Plateau in northeastern France, 1 mile to the west of Étain; on the west side of the Départemental 906 road, adjacent to the village of Rouvres-en-Woevre in the Meuse département about 12 miles east of...
was designated as the host unit. Aircraft from the 388th and 49th Fighter-Bomber Wings at Etain exercised at the base from 1957 through 1959.
The base was deactivated on 1 September 1959 and the facility was maintained by Det #6, 7514th Support Group from Toul-Rosières Air Base
Toul-Rosieres Air Base
Toul-Rosières Air Base is a reserve French Air Force base. It is located in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département of France, 10 miles northeast of the city of Toul, on the west side of the Route nationale 411 Highway about one mile southeast of Rosières-en-Haye.Toul Air Base was used by American...
briefly before turning the facility over to the French Air Force
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
.
The French Air Force used the base initially for flight training, however flight operations ended in 1980 and it was developed as a facility for rapid runway repair. In 2004 the base was deactivated and was placed in reserve status.