Woensdrecht Air Base

Infobox Airport
name = Woensdrecht Air Base
nativename = _nl. Vliegbasis Woensdrecht


IATA = WOE
ICAO = EHWO
type = Military
owner =
operator = Royal Dutch Air Force
city-served = Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands
location = Woensdrecht
elevation-f = 63
elevation-m = 19
coordinates = coord|51|26|56|N|004|20|30|E|region:NL_type:airport
website =
metric-rwy = y
r1-number = 07/25
r1-length-f = 8,005
r1-length-m = 2,440
r1-surface = Concrete/Asphalt
footnotes =

Woensdrecht Air Base ( _nl. Vliegbasis Woensdrecht) airport codes|WOE [ [http://aviation-safety.net/database/airport/airport.php?id=WOE WOE / EHWO: Woensdrecht Air Base] . Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2008-09-22.] |EHWO is a military airport near the town of Woensdrecht, about 10 km south of the city of Bergen op Zoom in the the Netherlands. It is located near highway A58 and the border with Belgium.

The airport was founded in 1934 as a glider and training airfield for the Royal Dutch Air Force. During German occupation in the Second World War, the airfield was expanded. After the war, it was used once again by the Royal Dutch Air Force for training purposes. In 1983 it was decided that Woensdrecht would house 48 cruise missiles fitted with nuclear warheads for the "486 tactical missile wing" from the United States Air Force. However, just after completion of the required facilities, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty put a halt to these plans.

The airport currently has one runway, 07/25, which is 2,440 meters (8,005 feet) long. It is now mainly used by the Royal Dutch Air Force as a training and logistical base and normally does not house any combat units. It has one civilian user, Fokker Services, a company providing maintenance for primarily but not exclusively Fokker aircraft, the Fokker 50, Fokker 60 and Fokker 70 also being in use by the Royal Dutch Air Force and government. Because of the presence of Fokker Services, a large number of Fokker aircraft is usually present at the airfield. The Royal Dutch Air Force mainly operates the Pilatus PC-7 for training.

References

External links

*nl icon [http://www.luchtmacht.nl/woensdrecht/ Luchtmacht.nl - Woensdrecht] (RNAF website for Woensdrecht Air Base)
* [http://www.fokkerservices.com/ Fokker Services]
* [http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?placesearch=Bergen%20op%20Zoom%20-%20Woensdrecht%20%28WOE%20%2F%20BZM%20%2F%20EHWO%29&distinct_entry=true Bergen op Zoom - Woensdrecht (WOE / BZM / EHWO)] photos at Airliners.net