Chièvres Air Base Chièvres Air Base Chièvres Air Base is a United States Air Force operated airfield located east southeast of the Walloon town of Chièvres in the province of Hainaut, Belgium and about from Headquarters, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), in Casteau. It is mainly used to provide logistic support to NATO and SHAPE. The station and support facilities are operated by the United States Army Garrison Benelux for NATO. The United States Air Force 424th Air Base Squadron (ABS) is the operational unit at Chièvres Air Base. It is supported by the 86th Operations Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
86th Air Division mission was to upgrade the air defense capabilities of Western Europe. Unlike other USAFE organizations, the 86th AD had a complex chain of command. Air defense missions were directed by the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff from The Pentagon in Washington, D.C.. Since the components of the division would be committed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in time of war, USAFE NATO missions came under the direction of the Supreme Allied Commander, Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). Thus all 86 AD units came under a dual command structure. Under NATO, the Allied Air Forces Central Europe