This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(October 2014) |
Muwaffaq Salti Air Base(MSAB,Arabic:قاعدة الشهيد موفق السلطي الجوية,ICAO:OJMS) is aRoyal Jordanian Air Forceair base located inAzraq,Zarqa Governorate,Jordan.
Muwaffaq Salti Air Base | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
قاعدة الشهيد موفق السلطي الجوية | |||||||||
| NearAzraq,Zarqa Governoratein Jordan | |||||||||
 An RJAF F-16 landing | |||||||||
  Muwaffaq Salti Air Base Shown within Jordan | |||||||||
| Coordinates | 31°50′03″N036°47′14″E/ 31.83417°N 36.78722°E | ||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||
| Owner | Jordanian Armed Forces | ||||||||
| Operator | Royal Jordanian Air Force | ||||||||
| Website | Muwaffaq Salti Air Base | ||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||
| Built | 1918,1976–1980 | ||||||||
| In use | 1918, 1981–present | ||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||
| Identifiers | ICAO:OJMS,LID:OJ40 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 1,720 feet (524 m)AMSL | ||||||||
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| Sources:DoD FLIP[1] | |||||||||
History
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In 1918, during World War I,T. E. Lawrence(also known as Lawrence of Arabia) used the historic castle inAzraqand the plains at that site as a base for use as a landing ground for the aircraft which were supporting the column pushing north towards Syria. The main qualities of the area were its good visibility and fine weather for flying.
In 1976, the area was chosen by theRoyal Jordanian Air Forcefor a major new air base. Construction started that same year and in November 1980, No 1 (Northrop F-5A/B Freedom Fighter) and No 11 Squadrons (F-5E/F Tiger II) were deployed there.
The air base was officially opened on 24 May 1981. It was named after Lieutenant Muwaffaq Salti who died in battle with theIsraeli Air Forceon 13 November 1966, during theBattle of Samou.It was initially home to Nos 1 and 25 Mirage squadrons. Between 1997 and 2007 Mirage squadrons were based here.
Between October 2014 and July 2015 theBelgian Air Componentdeployed six Lockheed Martin F-16AM Fighting Falcons here as well under Operation Desert Falcon (laterOperation Inherent Resolve) due to themilitary intervention against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.[2]
In 2019 the United States began a $143 million expansion of the airbase. The expansion includes a new airlift apron, a personnel recovery and special operations forces apron, and a close air support (CAS) and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) apron as well as a cargo marshaling yard.[3]
In April 2020, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Middle East District contracted American International Contractors to build infrastructure on the airbase, including aprons and taxiways, a marshaling yard facility, and support facilities and utilities.[4]Beginning in November 2021, the United States began upgrading the airbase to turn it into a more permanent base with the US Army Corps of Engineers released the solicitation to find a contractor to build a new air traffic control tower.[5]
Current use
editSince 1997 Nos 1, 2 and 6 (General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon) Squadrons have been based there.
The American Government along with other countries hasdeployed various aircraftthere due to the military intervention against ISIL.[6]The base is reported to host severalMQ-9 Reaperdrones, based on satellite imagery.[7]The base is partly operated by the407th Air Expeditionary Group.[8][9]
Units
edit- 1st Fighter Squadron-F-16AM/BM MLU M2
- The 1st Squadron was formed in 1958 with Hawker Hunters. It was later equipped with F-5s, then Mirage F1s, and now the F-16 Fighting Falcon, which has become RJAF's primary fighter, operating with the 1st, 2nd and 6th Squadrons since 1997.
- The squadron’s role has changed over the years from air to ground, air to air and reconnaissance to air defense and air to ground, but is now, along with the other F-16 squadrons, the main striking force of RJAF. The 1st Squadron was the first fighter squadron and has a rich history. It participated in all the conflicts and engaged in every air battle that Jordan has fought since the squadron was formed in 1958.[10]
- 2nd Fighter Squadron-F-16AM/BM MLU M6.5
- The 2nd Squadron was first formed in 1958 withde Havilland Vampires,then with Hunters, and later in 1974 withF-5As and Bsas an advanced training squadron atKing Hussein Air Base,Mafraq. It subsequently flew from Amman and Mafraq as a fighter squadron, then flew again from Mafraq, renamed in 1978 as theKing Hussein Air College,with theCASA C-101as the advanced jet trainer. It is now equipped with the F-16.
- The 2nd Squadron has a dual job: training newly graduate pilots on F-16s and supporting the 1st Squadron operations as required.
- The training, which is basically a tactical conversion course, extends over 8 months, during which pilots count 76 flights, averaging 85.7 hours.[11]
- 6th Fighter Squadron-F-16AM/BM MLU M3
- The 6th Squadron is identical to the 1st Squadron in mission and equipment.[12]
See also
editReferences
edit
This article incorporatespublic domain materialfrom theAir Force Historical Research Agency
- ^DoD Flight Information Publication (Enroute) – Supplement Europe, North Africa and Middle East.St. Louis, Missouri:National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.2021. p. B–367.
- ^AirForces Monthly.Stamford,Lincolnshire,England:Key Publishing Ltd.September 2015. p. 74.
- ^"Docs Show US To Massively Expand Footprint At Jordanian Air Base Amid Spats With Turkey, Iraq".thedrive.14 January 2019.
- ^"Contracts for April 10, 2020".U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.Retrieved16 February2021.
- ^Binnie, Jeremy (1 December 2021)."US carrying out major upgrade to Jordanian airbase".Janes.Archived fromthe originalon 1 December 2021.Retrieved24 January2022.
- ^AirForces Monthly.Stamford,Lincolnshire,England:Key Publishing Ltd.May 2015. p. 56.
- ^"Reaper Drones Revealed to Be Operating from Jordan - bellingcat".bellingcat.25 February 2016.Retrieved2 March2016.
- ^"Air Force identifies airman killed by storm in Jordan".Air Force Times. 9 December 2016.
- ^"USARCENT command team travels region to focus on enduring partnership".US Army. 9 December 2016. Archived fromthe originalon 20 December 2016.Retrieved9 December2016.
- ^No 1 Squadron
- ^No 2 Squadron
- ^No 6 Squadron
External links
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