Nikes in the Royal Belgian Airforce - Rolfs NIKE Pages
Nikes in the Royal Belgian Airforce - Rolfs NIKE Pages
Nikes in the Royal Belgian Airforce - Rolfs NIKE Pages
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Without a HIPAR of its own BOC 9 W<strong>in</strong>g depended on <strong>the</strong> radar from 13 W<strong>in</strong>g at Nideggen, but no<br />
equipment for radar l<strong>in</strong>k was provided.<br />
1970 507 th Det USArtillery jo<strong>in</strong>ed 9 W<strong>in</strong>g at Grefrath.<br />
1973 The operational units of 9 and 13 W<strong>in</strong>g were <strong>in</strong>corporated <strong>in</strong>to NADGE, after <strong>in</strong>tegration of fire control<br />
systems from batteries and BOC had been accomplished (AN-MSQ 18 equipment)<br />
Interfaces between Battery control trailer and BOC or LOPAR/HIPAR improved reliability <strong>in</strong> case<br />
of damage or electronic warfare.<br />
1974 Squadrons received first Vulcan 20mm guns and heavy mach<strong>in</strong>e guns for air and ground defence, but<br />
<strong>the</strong>se weapons didn´t all become operational at once. GpMSL got 40 Nike Mim 14 B and 14 C missiles<br />
from disbanded Dutch units. SAMCAP programm to improve missile agility started.<br />
Plans to form eight squadron were resumed.<br />
1975 <strong>the</strong> project of a new site at Straelen-Vossum was cancelled <strong>in</strong> favour of a deployment of <strong>the</strong> future<br />
57 Sqn on abandoned Dutch site at Erle.<br />
1977 TPS-1D Radar , which was kept as a reserve for 9 W<strong>in</strong>g was deactivated, when f<strong>in</strong>ally <strong>in</strong> 1978 <strong>the</strong><br />
HIPAR of 9 W<strong>in</strong>g was <strong>in</strong>stalled at H<strong>in</strong>sbeck near Grefrath and <strong>the</strong> BOC became operational <strong>the</strong>re.<br />
1978 Nike Support Plan started to modify and digitalize electronic components at <strong>the</strong> German LogRgt 8<br />
(Mechernich) until 1983.<br />
1979 new 57 Squadron became operational at last.<br />
1980 Longe Range security programm improved security of nuclear squadrons. New antitank weapon LAW<br />
for defence flights<br />
1983 53 and 57 Squadron disbanded, decision to disband fur<strong>the</strong>r squadrons (52 and 55 Squadron)<br />
1985 Gp MSL, 13 and 9 W<strong>in</strong>g disbanded and <strong>in</strong>tegrated <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> new W<strong>in</strong>g Missile WMSL at Camp<br />
Handzame,Düren , 13 W<strong>in</strong>g becomes 13 Gp Op (Groep Operaties =operational group) to control 50<br />
and 51 Squadron and 9 W<strong>in</strong>g becomes 9 GpOp for 56 and 54 Squadron.<br />
W S MSL <strong>in</strong>corporated <strong>in</strong> WMSL as Gp Sp MSL. Gp Sp MSL de<strong>in</strong>stalled equipment of dismantled<br />
units. The missiles were wrecked at Helchteren and Zedelgem.<br />
1987 <strong>Belgian</strong> government decided to disband all Nike units until 1990/1 , replacement by Patriot couldn´t be<br />
afforded.<br />
1988 43 rd Detachment US Artillery at Düren and 507 th Det at Grefrath were withdrawn after nuclear<br />
warheads had gone accord<strong>in</strong>g to Montebello agreement, last fir<strong>in</strong>g practice on Kreta,last Tactical<br />
Evaluation for WMSL.<br />
1989 51 Squadron at Blankenheim and 54 Squadron at Xanten disbanded.<br />
1990 WMSL with 9 and 13 Groep Operaties and <strong>the</strong> last Nike batteries <strong>in</strong> Central Europe, 50 Sqn at<br />
Nideggen and 56 Sqn at Grefrath came to an end. In 10/1990 WMSL disbanded. Tradition of 13 GpOp<br />
was adapted by CRC Glons and that of 9 GpOp was cont<strong>in</strong>ued by 9 TrgW<strong>in</strong>g on Brustem airbase.<br />
Gp Sp MSL survived for a few months to dismantle and guard <strong>the</strong> Nike facilities until 7/1991.<br />
After <strong>the</strong> disband<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> Hawk bataillons no 43 (Brakel) and 62 (Essentho/Korbach) <strong>in</strong> Germany, <strong>Belgian</strong><br />
ground airdefence only relied 35 Bty and 14 Bn equipped with Mistral man-portable AA-missiles.<br />
The Nike Squadrons of <strong>the</strong> Group Missiles (<strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Belgian</strong> <strong>Airforce</strong>)<br />
13 W<strong>in</strong>g<br />
50 Sqn<br />
1959 formed as 50 Smaldeel /Escadrille,Camp Mercy at Malmedy(BE)<br />
1960 moved to Bierset (BE)<br />
1961 operational s<strong>in</strong>ce 9-1961<br />
1962 moved to Camp Bast<strong>in</strong> at Düren, temporary site at Soller on military tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g area south of Düren, <strong>the</strong>n<br />
permanent site near Nideggen and Thum. The Soller area was now and <strong>the</strong>n used as alternative site,<br />
when equipment <strong>in</strong> permanent site was deactivated for repairs and modifications.<br />
1965 50 Sqn received nuclear warheads under US-control.<br />
1969 fire control received anti-ballistic-missile (ATBM) capacity !!<br />
1972 last Ajax fired on Souda Bay (Kreta)<br />
1978 ATBM configuration de<strong>in</strong>stalled, replaced by SAMPCAP configuration, first activities of Long Range<br />
Security Programme<br />
1980 50 Sqn moved to Camp Handzaeme, Düren, where Staff 13 W<strong>in</strong>g and elements of W<strong>in</strong>g Spt MSL were<br />
deployed,too.<br />
1983 Nike Support Plan modifications f<strong>in</strong>ished by German logistic regiment 8 at Mechernich, new watch<br />
tower completed, peace demonstrations<br />
1988 last annual service practice at Kreta <strong>in</strong> 5-88, 7-88 withdrawal of nuclear warheads by helicopter<br />
1990 <strong>in</strong> 1-90 beg<strong>in</strong> of dismantl<strong>in</strong>g, 6-90 last operational evaluation and end of operational role<br />
1991 sites were guarded until 7-91