Büchel Air Base

Büchel Air Base is located in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany, near Cochem and approximately 70 kilometers from Spangdahlem Air Base. Operated by the German Air Force, the installation has been the only site in Germany to host nuclear weapons since their removal from Ramstein Air Base in 2007. Historically, the base served as the home of the 7501 Munitions Support Squadron (MUNSS). Since 1985, it has hosted Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 33 (Tactical Air Force Wing 33), formerly designated Jagdbombergeschwader 33.

The base currently hosts Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 33 and the United States Air Force 702 Munitions Support Squadron (702 MUNSS). Under NATO nuclear sharing arrangements, the 702 MUNSS secures and maintains twenty B61 nuclear bombs. As of 2022, the base personnel consists of 2,000 military and civilian members.

Infrastructure at the facility includes the WS3 Weapon Storage and Security System, which utilizes underground vaults located inside aircraft shelters. The base hosts 46 Panavia Tornado aircraft specialized in close air support and capable of delivering B61 munitions.

The German Federal Ministry of Defence is currently executing a €10 billion project to convert the airfield for F-35 aircraft operations, with a scheduled completion date in 2026. During this transition, Bundeswehr personnel are conducting training at Nörvenich Air Base. Recent equipment plans involve replacing B61-3 and B61-4 warheads with B61-12 models. The installation is a frequent site of civil disobedience and protests, which began in 1996 and have led to the sentencing of over one hundred activists for trespassing and other offenses as of 2024.