Isa Air Base
Isa Air Base Arabic: قاعدة الشيخ عيسى الجوية | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||
| Operator | Royal Bahraini Air Force | ||||||||||
| Location | Bahrain | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 136 ft / 41 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 25°55′06″N 050°35′26″E / 25.91833°N 50.59056°E | ||||||||||
Interactive map of Isa Air Base | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Source: DAFIF[1] | |||||||||||
Isa Air Base (IAB), formerly known as Shaikh Isa Air Base (ICAO: OBBS), is on the shore of the Persian Gulf in southern Bahrain.
It hosts the Royal Bahraini Air Force (RBAF) Fighter Wing and the two squadrons that comprise it.
Gulf War
During the first Gulf War, some of the Coalition forces, having trouble with the Arab pronunciation, knew the base under the name "Shakey's Pizza".[2]
The 384th Air Expeditionary Wing operated from the base in 2003-2004.
2020s
Bahrain
The base is home to the RBAF's 1st Fighter Wing:
- 1st Fighter Squadron – Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon C/D Block 40
- 2nd Fighter Squadron – F-16C/D Block 40
- 6th Fighter Squadron – Northrop F-5E/F
- 5th Squadron – British Aerospace Hawk
- 4th Squadron – Slingsby T-67 Firefly
United States
In March 2009, the United States Air Force established a camp on Isa Air Base to support aerial port operations. The unit was designated a detachment of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing of Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. This detachment's purpose was to accelerate the delivery of mine-resistant ambush-protected all-terrain vehicles to U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
As part of its operations against ISIL, the United States deployed various aircraft there.[3]
In August 2020, KBR took over base operations support services at Isa Air Base.[4]
See also
References
- ^ "Airport information for OBBS". World Aero Data. Archived from the original on 2019-03-05. Data current as of October 2006. Source: DAFIF.
- ^ Frederick Forsyth: "The Fist of God", ISBN 0-552-13990-4
- ^ AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. May 2015. p. 59.
- ^ "Contracts for August 27, 2020". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. Archived from the original on July 24, 2021. Retrieved 2020-09-11.