Article originally published by Aviation News in October 2024
When you hear of Luxembourg you would not necessarily think of a country with a military yet alone an air arm. However, the defense directorate of Luxembourg does have a small number of air assets and over the weekend of 20th-21st September members of the public were invited to Luxembourg Findel airport to get up close and view them.
The Luxembourg Armed Forces operate a pair of Airbus H145M’s in the light utility and observation role. These aircraft are also available to the Police Force for police surveillance and search missions procured in 2019 they replaced a MD Helicopters MD 902 Explorer.
With Luxembourg being a NATO member, it does benefit from several shared arrangements many of which were on display. Starting with the smallest aircraft on display a pair of. Insitu Integrator operated by the Luxembourg Armed Forces but registered on the Netherlands military register were on display along with their command-and-control unit and both Launch and recovery apparatus.
All elementary pilot training for the Luxembourg Armed Forces is currently carried out by 5 Sqn and 9 Sqn Competence Centre Air of the Belgium Air Force on the Siai Marchetti SF.260D from Beauvechain. It has been noted the extent of support from the Belgium Air Force given that the Sanicole Airshow and Operation Market Garden 80th Anniversary commemorations were taking over the same weekend.
The Benelux region combine their QRA responsibilities between Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II’s of the Royal Netherlands Air Force and General Dynamics F-16 AM Fighting Falcon’s of the Belgian Air Force and it was the latter which was on display in what is likely to be the types last public appearance in Luxembourg. In somewhat of a rarity, it was possible to climb up to the albeit closed cockpit and pear through the canopy.
Also coming from the Belgian Air Force was the largest aircraft owned by Luxembourg Armed Forces, that of the Airbus A400M. Operated as part of 20 Sqn, 15 Wing at Melsbroek Air Force Base, Brussels
The final aircraft on display was Airbus A330-243MRTT from Eindhoven airbase. Whilst by Luxembourg Armed Forces only has one aircraft that can be air to air refueled Luxembourg is the 3rd highest contributor to The Multinational Multirole Tanker Transport Unit providing 1200 flights hours each year.
Two civilian aircraft contracted in by the Armed Forces of Luxembourg that were on display was a Beech 350 King Air from UK based DEA Aviation Ltd. The highly modified King Air is part of the European Union Naval Force Mediterranean Operation Irini gathering ISTAR to aid countering illicit activities in the central Mediterranean, including illegal arms trafficking into Libya. Aeromedical evacuation of Armed Forces of Luxembourg personnel is contracted to Luxembourg Air Rescue with a fleet of Bombardier Challenger 605’s and Learjet 45’s. It was one of Bombardier Challenger 605’s which was only procured earlier this year that was on display.
It wasn’t just all about the current Luxembourg Armed Forces. Piper PA-18 Super Cub LX-FAC was previously operated by observation missions and mail delivery flights between 1957 and 1967
Whilst there was no flying display at the event the ability to get up close to an air arm very rarely seen in public was certainly a great opportunity.
South West Aviation Photographers would like to thank everyone at The Luxembourg Armed Forces for making this article possible.
Report by Matt Sudol
© South West Aviation Photographers 2024