=====Kleine Brogel airforce base===== \\ Kleine Brogel hosts 36 F-16 planes of the 10th Wing. These are divided between the 31st 'Tiger' squadron, specialised in air-ground combat (in other words: bombardements) with 18 planes, and the 349th squadron specialised in air-air combat. The base has 1700 military personnel, of which 90 pilots. Kleine Brogel is also host to 20 nuclear B-61/4 bombs. These are stored in WS3-vaults located under the hardened F-16 hangars. Through contract information we know that 11 WS3-vaults are built on the base. One of the proofs is this {{:ws3.pdf|WS3 briefing}}. These WS3-vaults were installed by Bechtel in 1992. The past years these vaults have been modernised by Atlantic Commtech to extend their lifetime till 2018. (contract US Air Force 30th July 2004 [[http://www.cbd-net.com/index.php/search/show/644999]])\\ The guarding and maintenance of these nuclear weapons is the responsibility of the US 701 MUNSS or Munition Support Squadron, consisting of 110 US military. Movement of these weapons happens with C-17 Globemaster planes from the McChord airforce base in the US. \\ In wartime it are the Belgian pilots who will fly the nuclear bombs to their targets. This means that it are the 18 planes of the 31st 'Tiger' squadron, who are assigned to the nuclear mission.\\ In total between 150-250 US nuclear weapons are still deployed in Europe. The other bases are Büchel (Germany), Aviano (Italy), Ghedi-Torre (Italy), Volkel (Netherlands), Incirlik (Turkey). From Ramstein (Germany) and Lakenheath (UK) the nuclear weapons are removed recently. More information on nuclear weapons can be found in this report by Hans Kristensen: http://nukestrat.com/pubs/EuroBombs.pdf. \\ \\ {{:hanscom_ws3_vltphoto.jpg?400*320|}}