Английская Википедия:Al Dhafra Air Base

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Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Infobox military installation Al Dhafra Air Base (Шаблон:Lang-ar) Шаблон:Airport codes is a military installation in the United Arab Emirates. The base is located approximately Шаблон:Convert south of Abu Dhabi, and is operated by the United Arab Emirates Air Force.

Facilities

The airport sits at an elevation of Шаблон:Convert above mean sea level. It has two runways, 13L/31R and 13R/31L, each with an asphalt surface measuring Шаблон:Convert.[1]

Role and operations

United Arab Emirates Air Force

The air base is the headquarters of the Western Air Command of the United Arab Emirates Air Force. It hosts the UAE Air Force Fighter Wing, comprising the 1st Shaheen Squadron, 2nd Shaheen Squadron, and 3rd Shaheen Squadron which is equipped with the Lockheed Martin F-16E/F Desert Falcon). The base is also home to the 71st and 76th Fighter Squadrons which operate the Dassault Mirage 2000-9EAD/DAD.

Military intervention against ISIL

Шаблон:Further

United States

Two R-11 fuel trucks refuel an E-3 Sentry at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing during 2009.
Two R-11 fuel trucks refuel an E-3 Sentry at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing during 2009.

Al Dhafra hosts the United States Air Force's 380th Air Expeditionary Wing (380 AEW), established at the base on 25 January 2002.[2] The 380 AEW's mission is to carry out combat operations to provide high-altitude all-weather intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, airborne command and control and aerial refueling for military operations against ISIL/ISIS (referred to by the US military as Operation Inherent Resolve) and previously, NATO-led operations in Afghanistan (Operation Resolute Support).[2] The wing is known to have operated the F-15C Eagle, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-22A Raptor, KC-10A Extender, E-3 Sentry (AWACS) U-2S Dragon Lady and EQ-4 and RQ-4 Global Hawk.[3][4][2] The first USAF F-35 Lightning II deployed to the Middle East was deployed to Al Dhafra Air Base in April 2019.[5]

While the US military presence at the base dates back to the early 1990s, it was only officially acknowledged by the US Air Force in August 2017.[6]

As of 2020, contractor activity at Al Dhafra on behalf of the US military includes work done by Abacus Technology Corp. information technology,[7] Centurum information technology,[8] in addition to various construction projects.[9]

France

Шаблон:Further On 1 September 2008, the French Air Force opened its own military settlement in the northwest corner of the base, operating Dassault Mirage 2000-5Fs.[10]

With military operations against ISIL/ISIS, the French also deployed Breguet Atlantique II maritime patrol aircraft as part of Opération Chammal.[11]

Based units

Notable units based at Al Dhafra Air Base.

United Arab Emirates Air Force

Western Air Command

  • Fighter Wing[12]
    • 71 Squadron – Mirage 2000-9EAD/9DAD
    • 76 Squadron – Mirage 2000-9EAD/9DAD
    • 1st Shaheen Squadron – F-16E/F Desert Falcon
    • 2nd Shaheen Squadron – F-16E/F Desert Falcon
    • 3rd Shaheen Squadron – F-16E/F Desert Falcon

French Air and Space Force

(Al Dhafra 'Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Pijeaud' Air Base)

United States Air Force

Air Combat Command

The 380th AEW is also known to operate the EQ-4B and RQ-4B Global Hawk.

United States Army

US Army Forces Command

Attacks against the base

On 24 January 2022, Al Dhafra Air Base was targeted by Houthi Zulfiqar ballistic missiles in retaliation for UAE involvement in the ongoing Yemeni Civil War. Two missiles aimed at the base were intercepted and destroyed by US Patriot missiles, coincident to efforts by the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces.[19][20][21]

References

Шаблон:Reflist

External links

Шаблон:Portalbar Шаблон:Airports in the United Arab Emirates Шаблон:United Arab Emirates–United States relations

Шаблон:Authority control