NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen
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NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, located near Geilenkirchen, Germany, is the main operating airfield of the NATO Airborne Early Warning & Control Force (NAEW&CF) Command's E-3A Component (AWACS). This component provides an early warning radar system to enhance NATO's air defence capabilities. Seventeen E-3A aircraft are used for air surveillance and air operations communications support. Aircraft are flown by multinational crews from 12 nations including Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, and the United States.
The NATO Airborne Early Warning Force was created in January 1980 and is NATO's only multinational operational flying unit. The Geilenkirchen base was original known as RAF Geilenkirchen, a Royal Air Force (RAF) station built after World War II.
[edit] External links
Belgium • Bulgaria • Canada • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Iceland • Italy • Latvia • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Netherlands • Norway • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Turkey • United Kingdom • United States
Candidate countries: Albania • Croatia • Republic of Macedonia (as FYROM)
