When it sought to replace its ageing Hawker Siddeley HS748
and Swearingen Merlin turboprop transports, the then Belgian Air Force decided
upon the Embraer ERJ regional jet family. It acquired two each of ERJ-135s and
ERJ-145s, the latter having a longer fuselage. Deliveries to 21 Squadron of 15
Wing at Melsbroek air base in Brussels started in June 2001. The Embraers are
used for VIP transport, this including members of the Belgian royal family and
senior military personnel, as well as more general transport tasks and, if
required, medical evacuation flights. The ERJ-135 and ERJ-145 family is in
extensive civil airline use the world over and serves with several other air
arms as a transport and special mission aircraft.