Muwaffaq Salti Air Base
| Muwaffaq Salti Air Base | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
قاعدة الشهيد موفق السلطي الجوية | |||||||||
| Near Azraq, Zarqa Governorate in Jordan | |||||||||
An RJAF F-16 landing | |||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||
| Owner | Jordanian Armed Forces | ||||||||
| Operator | Royal Jordanian Air Force | ||||||||
| Website | Muwaffaq Salti Air Base | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
Muwaffaq Salti Air Base Shown within Jordan | |||||||||
| Coordinates | 31°50′03″N 036°47′14″E / 31.83417°N 36.78722°E | ||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Sources: DoD FLIP[1] | |||||||||
Muwaffaq Salti Air Base (MSAB, Arabic: قاعدة الشهيد موفق السلطي الجوية, ICAO: OJMS) is a Royal Jordanian Air Force air base located in Azraq, Zarqa Governorate, Jordan.
History
In 1918, during World War I, T. E. Lawrence, also known as Lawrence of Arabia, used the historic castle in Azraq and the plains at that site as a base and landing ground for the aircraft 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 the Royal Jordanian Air Force for a major new air base. Construction started that same year. 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 the Israeli Air Force on 13 November 1966, during the Battle of Samou. It was initially home to Nos 1 and 25 Mirage squadrons. Between 1997 and 2007 Mirage squadrons were based there.
Between October 2014 and July 2015 the Belgian Air Component deployed six Lockheed Martin F-16AM Fighting Falcons under Operation Desert Falcon, later Operation Inherent Resolve, during the international military 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, a close air support (CAS) and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) apron, and 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, including building a new air traffic control tower.[5]
Current use
Since 1997, Jordanian squadrons number 1, 2 and 6 (General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon) have been based there.
The American Government along with other countries has deployed various aircraft there due to the military intervention against ISIS.[6] The base is reported to host several MQ-9 Reaper drones, based on satellite imagery.[7] The base was partly operated by the 407th Air Expeditionary Group.[8][9]
Units
- 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. It is now, along with the other F-16 squadrons, the main striking force of the RJAF. The 1st Squadron was the first Jordanian fighter squadron and has a rich history. It has participated in all of Jordan's conflicts and has 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 formed in 1958 with de Havilland Vampires, then with Hunters, and in 1974 with F-5As and Bs, as an advanced training squadron at King Hussein Air Base, Mafraq. It subsequently flew from Amman and Mafraq as a fighter squadron, then flew again from Mafraq, renamed in 1978 as the King Hussein Air College, with the CASA C-101 as 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's operations as required.
- The training, which is basically a tactical conversion course, lasts 8 months, during which pilots fly 76 flights, averaging 85.7 hours flight time.[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
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air 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.com. 14 January 2019.
- ^ "Contracts for April 10, 2020". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
- ^ Binnie, Jeremy (1 December 2021). "US carrying out major upgrade to Jordanian airbase". Janes. Archived from the original on 1 December 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- ^ 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. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
- ^ "Air Force identifies airman killed by storm in Jordan". Air Force Times. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
- ^ "USARCENT command team travels region to focus on enduring partnership". US Army. 9 December 2016. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
- ^ "No 1 Squadron". www.rjaf.mil.jo. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
- ^ "No 2 Squadron". www.rjaf.mil.jo. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
- ^ "No 6 Squadron". www.rjaf.mil.jo. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
External links