The Current Operations Squadron is the biggest squadron of Kleine Brogel’s Flying group, without pilots although. It comprises all services ensuring the daily flying activities like the Wing Operations Centre (the command, control and communications centre of the airbase), Air Traffic Control, fire fighters, the Bird Control Unit (controlling the bird population) and the meteorological service (Meteo). All of these services are crucial in ensuring a safe conduct of flight.

Air Traffic Control
An Air Traffic Controller manages all aircraft movements at and in the surroundings of the airbase. They give direct instructions, advice and information to the pilots.

The main focus is:

• As a Tower Air Traffic Controller you are responsible for air traffic services at and around the airbase (ground movements of aircraft and vehicles, take offs, landings and visual flight procedures)
• As an Approach Air Traffic Controller you are responsible for air traffic services in the vicinity of the airbase; at higher altitude, further distance and/or in bad weather.

Important abilities in this job are:

• Sense of responsibility
• Stress resistant
• Being a multitasker
• Team player
• Flexible

A bonus to this job is the opportunity to go on foreign missions, which gives you an extra challenge and more variety in the job.
Being an Air Traffic Controller is a fun and challenging job where you will play a key function in the core business of the airbase.

Mission Planning
As a mission planner you are directly involved in flight activities. You are one of the most important links in the preparation of a flight.

Planning a navigation, calculating fuel and plot targets are some of the elements that you will encounter on a daily basis. During the flight planning process you will assist the pilot to prepare everything down to the smallest detail. After the flight you collect all necessary information so that the pilot can debrief the mission. Since everything is operated on classified systems, it is very important that these systems always work optimally. It is very important that these are always up-to-date. This is one of our core tasks.

Every year we participate in exercises abroad to optimize cooperation with other countries. Here as a mission planner, you can contribute to the status of our air force, showing that we deliver a very professional and good job. When the decision is made to use Belgian F-16s in operation, you will become an important link. A mission planner then becomes an indispensable link in planning.

Our future is also insured. New challenges await us. The decision that the F-35 will be our new fighter plane can only please us. An ultramodern combat aircraft where security and planning are highly valued.

If you want to commit yourself in the future, if you are flexible and able to withstand stress, do not hesitate: join our team. A very interesting job with challenges and certainly the opportunities to grow. Do you dare to take on this challenge ...!?

Intel
As an Air Intel, you are responsible for briefing pilots giving them the vital information to complete their mission.

You follow the current conflicts in the world and you make an analysis of the threat and capabilities of the enemy. Due to technological developments and increasingly complex conflicts, the role of Air Intel is becoming more important every day. You provide the crucial information that helps the pilot and command to make the right decisions. The evolution and development of new weapon systems ensure that you can constantly learn and expand your knowledge. Air Intel's job offers a variety of career opportunities, some of which become specialist in weapon systems, where others immerse themselves in the different cultures and ideologies that live in conflict areas.

As Air Intel you are employed in an operational squadron where you can link the social aspect to the professional. The close cooperation with the pilots and direct involvement in the conflict ensure high job satisfaction.

International exercises, courses and operations are certainly part of your duties. The follow-up for the future is assured with the purchase of the F-35, making your role as Air Intel more important. Flexibility, inquisitiveness, the courage to think "out of the box" are essential qualities that you must possess as an Air Intel.

Fire Brigade
The Fire Department of Kleine-Brogel Air Base is a specialized team consisting of 50 professional firefighters. The Fire Chief and his deputy are at the head of the fire department. Together they are responsible for day-to-day operations, filling in the required resources and personnel in accordance with the assignments in accordance with BAF and NATO regulations.

They are assisted by 3 teams of 16 professional firefighters who work in shifts. Each team consists of 6 non-commissioned officers and 10 volunteers. Each team is led by a team leader who is responsible for the general operation, the organization within the team, the monthly division of tasks and the follow-up. The On Scene Commander (OSC) is in charge of interventions and additional assignments, he also determines the daily division of work and any reinforcements in case of incidents. The Fire Department Coordinator (FDC) takes care of the dispatch. He alerts the OSC and the others in the event of incidents and keeps a logbook for all incidents containing all facts and timings. The other 13 firefighters of the team are responsible for the day-to-day functioning, maintenance of the equipment and continuing to train for the specific tasks that are expected of them. On top of that comes the training of their physical preparedness.

The means with which they combat the incidents are state of the art! The new Panther Rosenbauer 10,000 L crash tenders have been in use since 2015. They also have a smaller fire truck, "the Sides". In addition, there are 2 water tenders with 30,000 L of water. The OSC has a command vehicle and then there is the "environment" vehicle, supplied with material to deal with environmental incidents. They also have a “Unimog” that serves as a DECON vehicle (de-contamination which is used during incidents with hazardous substances such as Hydrazine.

Some specific tasks performed by the Fire Department

• Interventions in case of incidents with the F-16 (H70, Hot Brakes, ...)
• Domestic fire fighting on base
• Forest and Heather fire fighting at the Kleine-Brogel Air Base and at the PAMPA Shooting Range in Helchteren
• Check hydrants, fire extinguishers, ...
• Fire department training
• Training of each building’s fire safety expert
• Maintenance of firefighting equipment
• Foreign assignments

Bird Control Unit  
The bird control unit in the 10WTAC is responsible for wildlife hazard management on the Kleine-Brogel Air Base and the Helchteren shooting range (Pampa).

The important work areas are:

• Scare away all birds that are too close to the runway during flying activities using lasers, bird-scaring cartridges, cages to catch them and bird-scaring systems.
• The BCU is in direct contact with the section for nature conservation and gives advice on all mowing work on the base.
• The BCU also has responsibilities when the emergency plan is activated.
• Cooperation with the bird inventory group LIKONA.
• Cooperation with the Agency Nature and Forest.
• Collecting the remains of the bird after a bird strike event and sending them for investigation to the African Museum.
• Listing all the birds present on base.
• Cooperation with the Opglabeek Nature Aid Center.
• BCU will also act as part of the anti-drone capacity.

Important qualities to possess as a member of the BCU: a sense of responsibility, knowledge of fauna and flora, knowledge about climbing trees, being able to work flexibly and independently!

It is a fun, challenging and varied job where you are an important link between nature and flight safety!