Grostenquin military airfield
| Base aérienne Grostenquin | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Characteristics | |||
| Coordinates | |||
| Height above MSL | 250 m (820 ft ) | ||
| Transport links | |||
| Distance from the city center | 7 km north of Grostenquin | ||
| Street |
D 79 7 km to D 674 |
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| Basic data | |||
| opening | 1952 | ||
| closure | July 12, 1968 | ||
| operator | Armée de l'air | ||
| Start-and runway | |||
| 15/33 | 2830 m asphalt / concrete | ||
The Base aérienne Grostenquin was a military airfield of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in France . The base is in the Grand Est region in the Moselle department in the north of the municipal areas of Grostenquin and the neighboring municipality of Bistroff , about ten kilometers east of Faulquemont . It still serves the military today, but the airfield was closed in the late 1960s.
history
RCAF station Grostenquin
After the beginning of the Korean War , NATO began planning to strengthen its air force stationed in Europe. Grostenquin was the first new base to go into service.
In the fall of 1952, the 2nd (Fighter) Wing Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), coming from Canada, moved to its new home base, the Royal Canadian Air Force Station Grostenquin ( RCAF Station Grostenquin for short ) in northern Lorraine. The (fighter) squadron was subordinate to three flying squadrons, the 416th , 421st and 430th Squadron . They flew Saber Mk.2 (from 1954 Mk.5 and Mk.6) day fighters. In addition, the squadron flew some CT-133s . The squadron was in turn subordinate to the 1st Air Division (RCAF) .
The 416th squadron was the end of January 1957 disabled and two weeks later by hunters with all-weather type CF-100 Mk.4B equipped 423rd Squadron replaced. Later, as the fourth flying unit, some transport aircraft with their C-47s came to the 2nd squadron, which from August 1963 were merged with a transport swarm previously stationed in RAF Langar to form the 109th liaison swarm, 109 Communications Flight .
The 416th squadron was deactivated in late 1962 and in the fall of 1963 the two remaining squadrons were converted to the CF-104 in the nuclear role. In the same year, the French government decided that all nuclear weapons stored in France must be under French control, which was unacceptable for Canada and the USA, which owned the nuclear weapons for the CF-104.
Therefore it was decided to close the RCAF station Grostenquin . In spring 1964, the 109 Communications Flight moved to Marville , the 430th Squadron to Zweibrücken and the 421st Squadron to Baden-Söllingen . The 2nd squadron was disbanded on April 1, 1964 and the airfield was returned to France.
Base aérienne Grostenquin
After the Canadians withdrew, the French Armée de l'air took over the base. Since this initially had no need for use, the site was devoloped on July 12, 1968 for aeronautical purposes. A new permanent use took place only from 1979 (see below).
In June 2011, helicopters of the French Army Aviation used the closed airfield during the maneuver (Flammkuch exercise) and part of the runway, some taxiways and parking areas were re-paved in recent years.
Todays use
It wasn't until 1979 that the military found a new use. At that time a training center for electronic warfare was established here . For this purpose, a number of corresponding devices of Soviet origin were brought together on the site, many of them from NVA stocks. In addition to the French air force, the United States Air Force and the German air force also use this .