🇩🇪 Geilenkirchen Air Base

NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen (IATA: GKE, ICAO: ETNG) is a military airfield located near Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It serves as the main operating base for the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force's E-3A Component.

Notable Features and History:

• Construction and Early Use: The base was originally built by the British Royal Air Force (RAF) after World War II and operated as RAF Geilenkirchen from 1953 to 1968, hosting various RAF fighter squadrons.
• German Air Force and U.S. Army: In 1968, it was handed over to the German Air Force and became home to German Missile Wing 2, equipped with Pershing 1A missiles, supported by the U.S. Army's 85th U.S. Army Field Artillery Detachment.
• NATO E-3A Component: Following NATO's decision to establish the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force program, a major construction program began in 1980 to modify the base for the E-3A Component. The first E-3A Component personnel arrived in January 1980, and the base was formally handed over to NATO by Germany on March 31, 1982. The E-3A Component was officially activated on June 28, 1982, and reached full operational capability by the end of 1988.
• Multinational Manning: The E-3A Component is NATO's first operational flying unit with multinational manning, with personnel from 17 different nations. Germany provides approximately 31% of the military personnel and crucial host-nation support.
• Infrastructure: Initial major construction included a new 3,000-meter runway, aprons, taxiways, a control tower, an information technology wing building, and renovation of existing hangars.
• Digital Tower: In 2022, NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen went live with a state-of-the-art Saab r-TWR digital air traffic control tower, the first military digital tower solution fully operational in NATO and certified by the German Military Aviation Authority.

Current Status:

• Operational: The base is currently operational and controlled by the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).
• E-3A Sentry Fleet: It is the main operating base for 14 NATO Boeing E-3A Sentry AWACS aircraft, which are registered in Luxembourg. These aircraft have undergone regular upgrades, with the Mid-term Modernization Programme completed in December 2018, and the Final Lifetime Extension program currently underway.
• Mission: The mission of the NATO E-3A Component is to provide airborne early warning, battle management, and command and control capabilities for the Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
• Community Integration: Geilenkirchen has been a garrison town since 1953, and the military personnel are considered an accepted part of the local population.

*Sources researched: en.wikipedia.org, installations.militaryonesource.mil, bundestag.de, saab.com, geilenkirchen.de*