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.
Allied Air Forces Central Europe Allied Air Forces Central Europe Allied Air Forces Central Europe (AAFCE) was the NATO command tasked with air and air defense operations in NATOs Allied Forces Central Europe (AFCENT) area of command. Allied Air Forces Central Europe was activated on 2 April 1951 at Fontainebleau in France through General Dwight D. Eisenhower's General Order No. 1. The first commanding officer of AAFCE was U.S. Air Force general Lauris Norstad, commanding general of US Air Forces in Europe, Wiesbaden. AAFCE reported to Allied Forces Central Europe (AFCENT) at Fontainebleau, which in turn reported to Allied Command Europe, headquartered at Supreme Headquarters