Al Dhafra Air Base

Al Dhafra Air Base (Arabic: قاعدة الظفرة الجوية) (IATA: DHF, ICAO: OMAM) is a military installation in the United Arab Emirates. The base is located approximately 20 mi (32 km) south of Abu Dhabi, and is operated by the United Arab Emirates Air Force.

Al Dhafra Air Base
قاعدة الظفرة الجوية
Al Dhafra, Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates
A United Arab Emirates Air Force F-16E Desert Falcon of the type based at Al Dhafra AB
Emblem of the United Arab Emirates Air Force
Al Dhafra AB is located in United Arab Emirates
Al Dhafra AB
Al Dhafra AB
Location in the United Arab Emirates
Coordinates24°14′24″N 054°32′54″E
TypeUAE Air Force base
Site information
OwnerUnited Arab Emirates Armed Forces
OperatorUnited Arab Emirates Air Force (UAEAF)
Controlled byWestern Air Command
ConditionOperational
Site history
Built1983 (1983)
In use1983 – present
Garrison information
Garrison
Airfield information
IdentifiersIATA: DHF, ICAO: OMAM
Elevation23 metres (75 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
13L/31R 3,661 metres (12,011 ft) Asphalt
13R/31L 3,661 metres (12,011 ft) Asphalt
Sources: World Aero Data[1]

Facilities

The airport sits at an elevation of 77 ft (23 m) above mean sea level. It has two runways, 13L/31R and 13R/31L, each with an asphalt surface measuring 3,661 m × 46 m (12,011 ft × 151 ft).[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
Further information: Military intervention against ISIL order of battle and 2018 missile strikes against Syria

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
Further information: Camp de la Paix

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
  1. Airport information for OMAM Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine from DAFIF (effective October 2006)
  2. "380th Air Expeditionary Wing". US Air Forces Central Command. US Air Force. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  3. AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. September 2014. p. 7.
  4. AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. May 2015. p. 56.
  5. The National (17 April 2019). "US Air Force sends next generation fighter jets to UAE".
  6. Pawlyk, Oriana (28 August 2017). "Air Force Acknowledges Clandestine Base in UAE". Military.com. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  7. "Contracts for March 5, 2020". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  8. "Contracts for November 27, 2017". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  9. "Contracts for September 1, 2020". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  10. AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. February 2021. p. 14.
  11. AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. November 2014. p. 4.
  12. "Armed Forces Overviews – United Arab Emirates Air Force". Scramble. Scramble / Dutch Aviation Society. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  13. "Chiffres clés de l'Armée de l'air - L'Armée de l'air en chiffres : 2019-2020 (FR)". French Air and Space Force. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  14. 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs (19 June 2019). "Al Dhafra welcomes new Air Warfare Center commander". US Air Forces Central Command. US Air Force. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  15. Thornbury, Staff Sgt. Chris (27 October 2019). "Refueling the refuelers". U.S. Air Forces Central Command. US Air Force. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  16. Ford, Tech. Sgt. Jocelyn A. (18 July 2019). "380 AEW AWACS provide the big picture to combatant commanders". US Air Forces Central Command. US Air Force. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  17. Cannady, Tech. Sgt. Darnell T. (29 December 2018). "REDHORSE and Prime BEEF building up ADAB". US Air Forces Central Command. US Air Force. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  18. Cannady, Tech. Sgt. Darnell T. (13 February 2019). "1-43 ADA defends ADAB's skies". US Air Forces Central Command. US Air Force. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  19. Alexander Cornwell; Alaa Swilam; Phil Stewart (25 January 2022). "Yemen's Houthis fail in second missile attack on UAE". Reuters.
  20. Dış Haberler (24 January 2022). "Yemen kuvvetleri BAE'nin başkentindeki askeri üsse füze attı" (in Turkish). soL Haber Portalı.
  21. "The UAE Is Bolstering Its Formidable Air Defenses". Forbes. 30 January 2022.
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