Operational Sites and Bases
Missile Sites
Strategic or Tactical Missile Site
Opslag Kruisraketten Vliegbasis Woensdrecht
Full name of site:
Opslag Kruisraketten Vliegbasis Woensdrecht / Cruise Missile Facilities Woensdrecht AFB
Location:
Wouwbaan 300, 4631 RW Hoogerheide, Holland
Operational period:
1983
to
1988
Primary user:
USAF 486th Tactical Missile Wing (intended user).
Description:
In 1983 it was decided that Woensdrecht Air Base would house 48 Tomahawk Ground Launched Cruise Missiles fitted with nuclear warheads. This would be the Dutch contribution to the stationing of 572 missiles in Europe. The other countries were West Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and Belgium.
The decision initiated a rapid growth of various peace movements and resulted in the largest demonstration ever held in the Netherlands (550.000 people) against the stationing of nuclear cruise missiles in the Netherlands.
As a concession to the demonstrators, the government agreed to make stationing of the Tomahawks dependent on the number of (similar) missiles stationed by the Soviet military.
The building process continued until in 1987 the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was agreed between US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. The finished facilities were never used for their intended purpose.
Ownership:
Ministry of Defense
Valuation of authenticity and integrity:
Baseline 1988.
Status and access:
Access: none. The airfield is still in operational use by the Royal Netherlands Air Force.