The Kingdom of Belgium was one of the founding nations of NATO. Nearly all Belgian Army and Belgian Air Force units were assigned to NATO's Northern Army Group and Second Allied Tactical Air Force, while most Naval Force units were assigned to Allied Command Channel. In 1989 Belgium spent $2.58 billion ($5.01 billion in 2016 USDs) on defence and fielded the following number of active troops:
Army: 68,700
Air Force: 18,800
Naval Force: 4,500
Gendarmerie: 15,900
The Chief of the Army's general staff was tasked with the administrative management of the Belgian army, as well as with procurement, training and doctrine. In case of war most units would have come under NATO's Northern Army Group, while one battalion of the Para-Commando Regiment would have been assigned to Allied Command Europe's ACE Mobile Force-Land (AMF(L)). Depending on operational needs Allied Command Europe (ACE) would have deployed AMF(L) to whatever theater needed reinforcements, with NATO's AFNORTH command in Norway the most likely destination. Reserve units stationed in Belgium would have remained under operational control of the army's general staff in wartime.
Army General Staff, Brussels
Para-Commando Regiment, Leuven
Headquarter Company, Leuven
1st Parachute Battalion, Diest
2nd Commando Battalion, Flawinne
3rd Parachute Battalion, Tielen
4th Commando Battalion (Reserve), based in Ruanda-Urundi until Rwanda's and Burundis independence in 1962, then a reserve formation in Belgium.
Reconnaissance Squadron, Stockem, (18x Scorpion)
Para-Commando Field Artillery Battery, Brasschaat, (6x 105mm M101 towed howitzers)
Para-Commando Anti-tank Company, Flawinne, (12x MILAN ATGM launchers)
Parachute Training Center, Diest, 12x Britten-Norman Islander
Commando Training Center, Namur
1st Provincial Regiment Brabant (Reserve)
2nd Provincial Regiment Hainault (Reserve)
3rd Provincial Regiment West Flanders (Reserve) (Reserve)
4th Provincial Regiment East Flanders (Reserve)
5th Provincial Regiment Antwerp (Reserve)
6th Provincial Regiment Limburg (Reserve)
7th Provincial Regiment Liège (Reserve)
8th Provincial Regiment Luxembourg (Reserve)
9th Provincial Regiment Namur (Reserve)
3rd Carabineers Cyclists (Light Reserve Infantry Battalion)
4th Carabineers Cyclists (Light Reserve Infantry Battalion)
5th Ardennes Rifles (Light Reserve Infantry Battalion)
4th Light Engineer Battalion , Amay
11th Light Engineer Battalion , Burcht
27th Heavy Engineer Battalion (Reserve)
31st Heavy Engineer Battalion (Reserve)
3rd Equipment Engineer Company (Reserve)
4th Equipment Engineer Company (Reserve)
7th Bridging Engineer Company (Reserve)
8th Bridging Engineer Company (Reserve)
15th Light Aviation School Squadron (mixed helicopter squadron)
The nine provincial regiments were each assigned to one of the nine provinces of Belgium and they fielded one reserve infantry battalion and either an reserve armored or armored reconnaissance squadron. The 1st and 7th provincial regiments fielded two reserve infantry battalions. These regiments were tasked with protecting critical infrastructure in their province. The three light infantry battalions were the General Staff's mobile reserve. Engineering units were tasked with keeping the line of communication between the Port of Antwerp and the front open.
The I Belgian Corps was assigned to NATO's Northern Army Group and partially forward deployed to Northern Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia in the Federal Republic of Germany. As the corps was the only allied corps with just two divisions the I British Corps would have ceded its 33rd Armoured Brigade of the 3rd Division to the Belgians. The 33rd Armoured Brigade and I Belgian Corps began to train for such a cooperation by the early 1980s.
I (BE) Corps, Cologne, FRG
4th Signal Battalion, Cologne
Corps Reconnaissance Command (COMRECCE), Arolsen, FRG
1ste Jagers te Paard, Arolsen, FRG, (24x Scimitar, 24x Scorpion, 12x Striker, 12x Spartan)
2de Jagers te Paard, Lüdenscheid, FRG, (40x Leopard 1, 8x M113)
4e Chasseurs à Cheval, Arnsberg, FRG, (24x Scimitar, 24x Scorpion, 12x Striker, 12x Spartan)
1er Compagnie d’Equipes Spéciales de Reconnaissance (ESR), (Long Range Reconnaissance), Spich, FRG
Corps Artillery Command, Werl, FRG
2de Regiment Artillerie, Lüdenscheid, FRG, (18x M109A2)
3rd Artillery Regiment, Werl, FRG, (4x Lance missile launchers)
13th Artillery Regiment (Surveillance and Acquisition), Büren, FRG
17th Artillery Regiment, Altenrath, FRG, (18x M109A2)
20th Artillery Regiment, Werl, FRG, (12x M110A2)
73rd Artillery Regiment, Soest, FRG, (12x M115)
14th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Spich, FRG, (27x Gepard)
35th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Spich, FRG, (27x Gepard)
Corps Engineer Command, Cologne, FRG
1st Engineer Battalion, Cologne, FRG (two field engineer companies, one M48AVLB armoured vehicle-launched bridge and one NBC-defense company)
3rd Bridging Battalion, Cologne, FRG (with three amphibious bridging vehicle companies)
6th Engineer Battalion, Cologne, FRG (two field engineer companies, one M48AVLB armoured vehicle-launched bridge and one nuclear demolition company)
10th Field Engineer Battalion, Amay, Belgium (three field engineer companies, a reserve unit based on the 11th Light Engineer Battalion)
17th Field Engineer Battalion, Zwijndrecht, Belgium (three field engineer companies, a reserve unit based on the 4th Light Engineer Battalion)
16th Aviation Squadron, Cologne, FRG, (13x Alouette II)
17th Aviation Squadron, Werl, FRG, (13x Alouette II)
18th Aviation Squadron, Merzbrück, FRG, (13x Alouette II)
3rd Linieregiment, (42x M113A1-B) (Belgium based reserve unit)
14th Linieregiment, (42x M113A1-B) (Belgium based reserve unit)
2nd Military Police Company, Cologne
6th Military Police Company, Arolsen
In case of war Luxembourg's sole infantry battalion would have been assigned to I Belgian Corps:
Luxembourg Army
1st (Light) Infantry Battalion
1st (Light) Infantry Company
2nd (Light) Infantry Company
3rd Support and Reconnaissance Company (one reconnaissance platoon, one anti-tank platoon with 6x TOW, one mortar platoon with 6x L16 81mm mortars)
4th Support and Reconnaissance Company (assigned to AMF(L), one reconnaissance platoon, one anti-tank platoon with 6x TOW, one mortar platoon with 6x L16 81mm mortars)
Luxembourg Artillery Battery (attached to the Belgian Field Artillery School in peacetime, 6x 105mm L118 howitzers)
1er Division d'Infanterie, Liège, Belgium
1ste Pantserinfanteriebrigade, Leopoldsburg, Belgium
1st Staff Company, Leopoldsburg
2de Regiment Lansiers, Leopoldsburg, (40x Leopard 1, 8x M113)
1ste Regiment Karabiniers, Leopoldsburg, (42x AIFV-B)
Bevrijding Bataljon, Leopoldsburg, (42x AIFV-B)
18de Regiment Artillerie, (18x M109A2)
13th Anti-tank Company (12x Jagdpanzer Kanone, 12x M113A1-B-MIL)
68th Engineer Company
7ème Brigade d'Infanterie Blindée, Marche-en-Famenne, Belgium
7th Staff Company, Marche-en-Famenne
1er Régiment de Lanciers, Marche-en-Famenne, (40x Leopard 1, 8x M113)
1er Régiment de Chasseurs Ardennais, Marche-en-Famenne, (42x AIFV-B)
12e Régiment de Ligne "Prince Léopold", Spa, (42x AIFV-B)
1er Régiment d'Artillerie, Bastogne, (18x M109A2)
8th Anti-tank Company, (12x Jägdpanzer Kanone, 12x M113A1-B-MIL)
67th Engineer Company
12ème Brigade d'Infanterie (Reserve), Liège, Belgium
12th Staff Company, Liège
3e Régiment de Lanciers, Altenrath, FRG, (active unit forward deployed to Germany with 40x Leopard 1, 8x M113)
2ème Régiment de Chasseurs Ardennais, Bastogne, (42x M113A1-B)
3e Régiment Carabines, Liège, (42x M113A1-B)
15e Régiment d'Artillerie, (18x M109A2)
12th Anti-tank Company, (12x Jägdpanzer Kanone)
12th Engineer Company
12th Long Range Reconnaissance Company (ESR)
16de Pantserdivisie, Neheim-Hüsten, FRG
4de Pantserinfanteriebrigade, Soest, FRG
4th Staff Company, Soest
4de Regiment Lansiers, Soest, (40x Leopard 1, 8x M113)
1ste Regiment Grenadiers, Soest,(42x AIFV-B)
5de Linieregiment, Soest, (42x AIFV-B)
6de Regiment Artillerie, Soest (18x M109A3)
9th Anti-tank Company, Soest, (12x Jagdpanzer Kanone, 12x M113A1-B-MIL)
14th Engineer Company, Arolsen (16x M113A1-B-ENG, 1x Leopard Eng)
17ème Brigade Blindée, Siegen, FRG
17th Staff Company, Siegen
1er Régiment des Guides, Siegen, (40x Leopard 1, 8x M113)
2e Regiment Gidsen, Altenrath, (40x Leopard 1, 8x M113)
1ste Regiment Karabiniers Wielrijders, Altenrath, (42x AIFV-B)
2ème Régiment de Carabiniers-cyclistes, Siegen, (42x AIFV-B)
19e Régiment d'Artillerie à Cheval, Siegen, (18x M109A3)
2nd Anti-tank Company, Siegen, (12x Jagdpanzer Kanone, 12x M113A1-B-MIL)
15th Engineer Company
10e Pantserinfanteriebrigade (Reserve), Limbourg, Belgium
10th Staff Company, Limbourg
8de Regiment Lansiers, Limbourg, (40x Leopard 1, 8x M113)
2de Regiment Karabiniers, Limbourg, (42x M113A1-B)
4de Linieregiment, Limbourg, (42x M113A1-B)
74de Regiment Artillerie, (18x M109A2)
10th Anti-tank Company, (12x Jagdpanzer Kanone)
10th Engineer Company
10th Long Range Reconnaissance Company (ESR)
Two Belgian Army air-defense battalions were stationed in Germany and permanently assigned to Second Allied Tactical Air Force:
43rd Artilleriebataljon, Brakel, with 4x batteries with 6x MIM-23 Hawk launch stations each in Beverungen, Höxter, Brakel and Bad Driburg
62nd Artilleriebataljon, Essentho, with 4x batteries with 6x MIM-23 Hawk launch stations each in Korbach, Wolfhagen, Essentho and Diemelstadt
The corps was supported by the following Belgian logistic and maintenance units based in Germany:
6th Signal Battalion, Lüdenscheid
4th Logistic Battalion, Cologne
20th Logistic Battalion, Cologne
28th Logistic Battalion, Lüdenscheid
29th Logistic Battalion, Eschweiler
51st Logistic Battalion, Aachen
4th Maintenance Battery, Werl, maintaining the Lance missile launchers of the 3rd Artillery Regiment
4th Medical Company, Soest
16th Medical Company, Lüdenscheid
17th Medical Company, Siegen
The Chief of the Air Force's general staff was tasked with the administrative management of the Belgian air force, as well as with procurement, training and doctrine. In case of war most units would have come under NATO's Second Allied Tactical Air Force (2 ATAF). In case of war Belgian air bases would have received US Air Force reinforcement wings.
Belgian Air Force, Haren Air Base
Instruction and Training Command
Training and Evaluation Center, Sint-Truiden Air Base
9th Squadron, SIAI-Marchetti SF.260
33rd Squadron, Fouga CM.170 Magister
5th Squadron, Goetsenhoven Airfield, SIAI-Marchetti SF.260
Air Cadets Training, Goetsenhoven Airfield, 6x Piper L-21B Super Cub
F-16 Operational Conversion Unit, Beauvechain Air Base, 24x F-16B
Mirage Operational Conversion Unit, Bierset Air Base, 16x Mirage 5BD
15th Wing, Melsbroek Air Base
20th Squadron, 12x Lockheed C-130 Hercules
21st Squadron, 2x Boeing 727-29QC, 2x Dassault Falcon 20E, 6x Swearingen Merlin, 3x Hawker Siddeley HS 748
Air-defense battery with 6x MIM-23 Hawk launch stations
40th Squadron, Koksijde Air Base (5x Sea King Mk.48 search and rescue helicopters)
Zutendaal Airfield, Operation Reforger air field for the US Army's 1st Cavalry Division
Oostmalle Airfield, Operation Reforger air field for the US Army's 1st Cavalry Division
Joint Army-Air Force MIM-23 Hawk Training Wing, Lombardsijde, with 2x batteries with 6x MIM-23 Hawk launch stations each
Air Force Meteorological Service, Haren Air Base
Belgian Air Force units assigned to Second Allied Tactical Air Force in wartime:
Control and Reporting Center Bassenge (permanently assigned to 2 ATAF)
Missile Wing, Düren, FRG, MIM-14 Nike Hercules surface-to-air missiles
9th Operations Group, Grefrath, FRG
54th Squadron, Xanten
56th Squadron, Grefrath
13th Operations Group, Düren, FRG
50th Squadron, Düren
51st Squadron, Blankenheim
1st Wing, Beauvechain Air Base
349th Squadron, 24x F-16A
350th Squadron, 24x F-16A
Air-defense battery with 6x MIM-23 Hawk launch stations
2nd Wing, Florennes Air Base
1st Squadron, 24x F-16A
2nd Squadron, 24x F-16A
Air-defense battery with 6x MIM-23 Hawk launch stations
3rd Wing, Bierset Air Base
8th Squadron, 36x Mirage 5BA
42nd Squadron, 22x Mirage 5BR (Reconnaissance)
Air-defense battery with 6x MIM-23 Hawk launch stations
9th Wing, Sint-Truiden Air Base
7th Squadron, 16x Alpha Jets
11th Squadron, 16x Alpha Jets
Air-defense battery with 6x MIM-23 Hawk launch stations
10th Wingnote 1, Kleine Brogel Air Base
23rd Squadron, 24x F-16A
31st Squadron, 24x F-16A
Air-defense battery with 6x MIM-23 Hawk launch stations
note 1: Nuclear sharing unit capable of delivering tactical nuclear weapons.
The Chief of the Naval Force's staff was tasked with the administrative management of the Belgian navy, as well as with procurement, training and doctrine. In case of war the entire combat fleet would have come under NATO's Benelux Sub-Area Channel Command (BENECHAN), a joint Dutch-Belgian command in Den Helder under Allied Command Channel (ACCHAN). ACCHAN was tasked with the defense of the sea areas, including and especially allied shipping, around the English Channel and BENECHAN was one of its three naval sub-commands. BENECHAN's area of operation comprised a large portion of the southern part of the North Sea and would command the entire Belgian Naval Force as well as the Home Fleet of the Royal Netherlands Navy.
While the commanding officer of BENECHAN was always the commanding admiral of the larger and more powerful Netherlands Home Fleet, Belgium's Commander Naval Operations served as the BENECHAN's Chief of Staff. The combined Dutch and Belgian staff at Den Helder in the Netherlands was tasked with ensuring that the approach, coastal, and entrance channels to Belgian and Netherlands' ports were always open for allied shipping. As ACCHAN's other two sub-commands PLYMCHAN (Plymouth Sub-Area Channel Command) and NORECHAN (The Nore Sub-Area Channel Command) defended the direct approaches to the Belgian and Dutch coast via the English channel and the North Sea and as BALTAP's German-Danish Allied Naval Forces Baltic Approaches Command (COMNAVBALTAP) kept the Soviet Baltic Fleet bottled up in the Baltic Sea, the main risk for allied shipping in the BENECHAN area of operations were air and submarine dropped naval mines.
Therefore the Belgian Naval Force fielded a large number of minesweepers and minehunters. As American reinforcements, crucial to defeat a Soviet advance towards the Rhine, would have disembarked mainly in the ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam, the Belgians fielded 10 inshore minesweeper to keep the Western Scheldt free of naval mines. To increase interoperability and to have a quickly deployable force ACCHAN included the Standing Naval Force Channel (STANAVFORCHAN), which consisted of seven to nine mine countermeasure vessels from the Royal Navy, German Navy, Royal Netherlands Navy and Belgian Naval Force.
Below follows a list of all ships of the Naval Force at the beginning of 1989 grouped by their home ports:
Zeebrugge Naval Base, main base and home of the Naval Force's frigates, minehunters, and command ships:
Frigate Squadron 181 with the Wielingen-class anti-submarine frigates:
F910 Wielingen
F911 Westdiep
F912 Wandelaar
F913 Westhinder
Mine Countermeasures Flotilla 22
A960 Godetia, mine countermeasures support and command ship
A961 Zinnia, mine countermeasures support and command ship
Ocean Minesweeper Squadron 191 with the Agile-class ocean minesweepers:
M902 Van Haverbeke
M903 Dufour
M904 DeBrouwer
M906 Breydel
M908 Truffaut
M909 Bovesse
A950 Valcke, ocean going tug for fishery protection and anti-oil pollution patrol
A951 Hommel, harbor tug
A952 Wesp, coastal tug
A953 Bij, fire tug
A954 Zeemeeuw, ocean going tug for fishery protection and anti-oil pollution patrol
A956 Krekel, fire tug
A958 Zenobe Gramme, school ship
A959 Mier, coastal tug
A962 Belgica, research vessel
A996 Albatros, harbor tug
A997 Spin, harbor tug
A998 Ekster, fire tug
Ostend Naval Base, home of the coastal minesweepers, mine warfare school, diving school, and the navy's logistic and maintenance center:
Coastal Minesweeper Squadron 124 (part of Mine Countermeasures Flotilla 22) with the Adjutant-class coastal minesweepers:
M928 Stavelot
M930 Rochefort
M932 Nieuwpoort
M933 Koksijde
M934 Verviers, modified as minehunter
M935 Veurne, modified as minehunter, but employed as hydrographic research ship
Coastal Minehunter Squadron (part of Mine Countermeasures Flotilla 22) with the Tripartite-class coastal minehunters:
M915 Aster
M916 Bellis
M917 Crocus
M918 Dianthus
M919 Fuchsia
M920 Iris
M921 Lobelia
M922 Myosotis, fitting out, joined the fleet December 14th, 1989
A963 Spa, ammunition transport ship, former coastal minesweeper M927
A964 Heist, degaussing ship for frigates, former coastal minesweeper M929
Antwerp Naval Base, home of the inshore minesweepers operating on the Western Scheldt:
P902 Libération, river patrol boat (last patrol boat of the seven Libération-class boats of the disbanded River Patrol Squadron 217)
Inshore Minesweeper Squadron 218, training, research and survey squadron with the Herstal-class inshore minesweepers:
M472 Kortrijk, modified for fishery protection and anti-oil pollution patrol in 1972, withdrawn from service in August 1st, 1989
M478 Herstal, modified for fishery protection and anti-oil pollution patrol in 1972
M479 Huy
M480 Seraing
M485 Andenne
Inshore Minesweeper Squadron 219 (part of Mine Countermeasures Flotilla 22) with the Herstal-class inshore minesweepers:
M475 Tongeren
M476 Merksen
M482 Vise
M483 Ougree
M484 Dinant
Gendarmerie
