Palmachim Airbase

The Palmachim Airbase (Hebrew: בָּסִיס חֵיל-הַאֲוִויר פַּלְמַחִים, ICAO: LLPL[1]) is an Israeli military facility and spaceport located near the city of Yavne on the Mediterranean coast, 12 km south of Tel Aviv. It is named after the nearby Kibbutz Palmachim.

Palmachim Israeli Air Force Base
Air Force Base 30
בסיס חיל האוויר פלמחים
Palmachim, Central District in Israel
Palmachim AB is located in Central Israel
Palmachim AB
Palmachim AB
Shown within Israel
Palmachim AB is located in Israel
Palmachim AB
Palmachim AB
Palmachim AB (Israel)
Coordinates31°53′52″N 34°41′26″E
TypeAirbase & Spaceport
Site information
OwnerIsrael Defense Forces
OperatorIsraeli Air Force
Israel Space Agency
Site history
BuiltEnd of 1960s
Airfield information
IdentifiersICAO: LLPL
Elevation10 metres (33 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
03R/21L 2,403 metres (7,884 ft) Asphalt
03L/21R 1,480 metres (4,856 ft) Asphalt
13/31 803 metres (2,635 ft) Asphalt

The base is home to several IAF helicopter and UAV squadrons. It is used to launch the Shavit space launch vehicle into retrograde orbit by launching over the Mediterranean, acting as Israel's primary spaceport. Since the end of the 1960s Palmachim is used to test ballistic missiles, such as the Jericho and later the Arrow.[2]

The launchpad is situated at 31°53′04″N 34°40′49″E. This ensures that rocket debris falls into water, and that the rocket does not fire over regional neighboring countries near Israel that could use the technology.

In July 2007, it was agreed that once Sde Dov Airport in Tel Aviv was closed, its military terminal would be transferred to Palmachim.[3] The terminal was transferred when Sde Dov Airport ceased operations in July 2019.

  • Test of an Arrow 2 missile at the Spaceport in 1996
    Test of an Arrow 2 missile at the Spaceport in 1996
  • Start of a Shavit 2 missile at the Spaceport in 2007
    Start of a Shavit 2 missile at the Spaceport in 2007
  • Newly build UAV hangars at Palmachim Airbase, 2010
    Newly build UAV hangars at Palmachim Airbase, 2010
  • A change of command ceremony at Palmachim, April 2021
    A change of command ceremony at Palmachim, April 2021
  • A map of Palmachim Airbase with Spaceport, Heliport and UAVs
    A map of Palmachim Airbase with Spaceport, Heliport and UAVs

Recent launches include:

Units

Orbital launch history
Type of rocket Date of Launch Launch Location Payload Mission Status
Shavit 19 September 1988 Palmachim Airbase Israel Ofeq-1 Success, experimental payload
Shavit 3 April 1990 Palmachim Airbase Israel Ofeq-2 Success, experimental payload
Shavit 15 September 1994 Palmachim Airbase Israel Ofeq ? Failure, unknown payload [18]
Shavit-1 5 April 1995 Palmachim Airbase Israel Ofeq-3 Success, first Israeli operational satellite in orbit
Shavit-1 22 January 1998 Palmachim Airbase Israel Ofeq-4 Failure
Shavit-1 28 May 2002 Palmachim Airbase Israel Ofeq-5 Success, second Israeli operational satellite in orbit
Shavit-1 6 September 2004 Palmachim Airbase Israel Ofeq-6 Failure
Shavit-2 11 June 2007 Palmachim Airbase Israel Ofeq-7 Success, third Israeli operational satellite in orbit
Shavit-2 22 June 2010 Palmachim Airbase Israel Ofeq-9 Success [19]
Shavit-2 9 April 2014 Palmachim Airbase Israel Ofeq-10 Success
Shavit-2 13 September 2016 Palmachim Airbase Israel Ofeq-11 Success
Shavit-2 6 July 2020 Palmachim Airbase Israel Ofeq-16 Success

On 17 January 2008, Israel test fired a multi-stage ballistic missile believed to be of the Jericho III type, reportedly capable of carrying "conventional or non conventional warheads".[5] On 2 November 2011, Israel successfully test fired a missile believed to be an upgraded version of the Jericho III; the long trail of smoke was seen throughout central Israel.[7]

References
  1. AIP Israel (PDF). Department of Civil Aviation. 18 May 2023. p. 355. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 May 2023.
  2. "Palmachim / Palmikhim / Yavne". GlobalSecurity.org. 9 July 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  3. Petersburg, Ofer (3 July 2007). "Tel Aviv airport to make way for luxury project". Ynetnews. Retrieved 3 July 2007.
  4. Israel Launches New Spy Satellite www.spacewar.com accessed 12 June 2007
  5. Azoulay, Yuval (18 January 2008). "Missile test 'will improve deterrence'". Haaretz. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  6. Israel Launches Ofeq-9 Satellite Archived 2010-06-23 at WebCite
  7. Pfeffer, Anshel (2 November 2011). "IDF test-fires ballistic missile in central Israel". Haaretz. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  8. "Israel launches Ofeq 10 radar-based spy satellite". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  9. "Israel launches Ofeq 11 surveillance satellite". Globes. 13 September 2016.
  10. Surkes, Sue (29 May 2017). "Israel launches propulsion rocket in early morning test". Times of Israel. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
  11. "A Day at a Transport Helicopter Squadron". IAF-Website. 2 June 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  12. "The Rolling Sword Squadron". IAF-Website. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  13. "The 161st Squadron Marks a Decade". IAF-Website. 22 March 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  14. "The Future of the RPA Division". IAF-Website. 10 January 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  15. "Unit 669". IDF-Website. 27 December 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  16. "A Rare Peek into SAR Unit 669". IAF-Website. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  17. "Officially Cats: End of 669 Course". IAF-Website. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  18. "Shavit (Israel), Space launch vehicles - Orbital". Jane's Information Group. 21 April 2009. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  19. Greenberg, Hanan (22 June 2010). "Israel launches spy satellite". Ynetnews. YnetNews.com. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
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