Melsbroek Air Base (B58 Melsbroek)

Melsbroek Air Base is a Belgian Air Force facility located in Steenokkerzeel, 12 kilometers northeast of Brussels, Belgium. Positioned on the northern side of Brussels Airport, the base shares runways, ground control, and air control facilities with the civilian airport. Melsbroek houses the 15th Air Transport Wing of the Belgian Air Force, which operates a fleet comprising the Airbus A321, Airbus A400M Atlas, Dassault Falcon 20, Dassault Falcon 900, Dassault Falcon 7x, and Embraer 135 and 145 aircraft.

The German Wehrmacht constructed the aerodrome during World War II. Following the 1944 liberation of Belgium, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Air Force operated the facility, designating it B58 Melsbroek. On January 1, 1945, the base was targeted during Operation Bodenplatte, a German aerial offensive. The attack destroyed Allied aircraft from No. 16, No. 69, No. 140, and No. 271 Squadrons RAF, 139 Wing, the Tactical Air Forces 2nd Communications Squadron, RAF Transport Command, and USAAF bomber units. Aircraft lost during the operation included Vickers Wellingtons, de Havilland Mosquitoes, Supermarine Spitfires, Handley Page Harrows, North American B-25 Mitchells, Austers, Avro Ansons, and Douglas Dakotas.

After World War II, Melsbroek replaced Haren Airfield as the Belgian national airport. This status transferred to the Zaventem terminal upon its construction for the 1958 world exposition on the same aerodrome. Following this transition, the Belgian Air Force assumed control of the original Melsbroek terminal.