Danilo Atienza Air Base

This article is about the site's current use as a military base operations. For former Spanish and U.S. operations, see Naval Station Sangley Point.

Major Danilo Atienza Air Base Base Aerea "Comandante Danilo Atienza"
Cavite City, Philippines
Control tower at Danilo Atienza Air Base
Coordinates	14°29′28.74″N 120°53′37.99″E
Type	Military base
Site information
Owner	Philippines
Controlled by	Philippine Air Force
Condition	active, as of 2014
Site history
Built	1898
Built by	United States
In use	1898 - 1971 United States 1971 - present Philippines
Garrison information
Garrison	15th Strike Wing 451st Supply Squadron 570th Composite Tactical Wing 1308th Dental Dispensary MF-30 Squadrons MF-40 Squadrons

Danilo Atienza Air Base
IATA: SGL ICAO: RPLS
Summary
Operator	Philippine Air Force
Location	Cavite City, Cavite Province, Philippines
Built	1945
In use	1945 - Present
Elevation AMSL	8 ft / 2.44 m
Coordinates	14°29′28.74″N 120°53′37.99″E
Map
Danilo Atienza Air Base Location in the Philippines
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 07/25 7,769 2,367 Asphalt

Danilo Atienza Air Base (IATA: SGL, ICAO: RPLS) is a military base used by the Philippine Air Force, located on the northern end of Cavite Peninsula in Manila Bay, Luzon Island, the Philippines. It is adjacent to Cavite City, in Cavite Province.

History

On 1 September 1971, the U.S. Naval Station Sangley Point base was turned over the Philippine Navy and Air Force, with the facility being renamed Sangley Point Air Base. The two services jointly operated the facility.

1989 coup

During the December 1989 coup attempt, the base was seized by rebellious military personnel. During the brief period of combat between loyalist and revolutionary elements of the military, a squadron of four F-5A's led by Major Danilo Atienza repeatedly bombed and strafed Sangley Point Air Base, destroying several T-28 combat planes belonging to the coup forces. Unfortunately, Major Atienza's plane crashed during the otherwise successful operation, and he was killed. After the coup was put down, Sangley Point Air Base was renamed as the Major Danilo Atienza Air Base in 1992.

Present day

As of 2009 the base is home to the Philippine Air Force's 15th Strike Wing, 451st Supply Squadron, 570th Composite Tactical Wing, and 1308th Dental Dispensary. It was also home to the Philippine Navy's MF-30 and MF-40 Squadrons and Naval Air School Center (NATS-50).

Sangley Airport Development

Atienza Air Base is the planned site of Sangley International Airport, the leading option for the eventual replacement of Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Following extensive land reclamation and new transportation connections, the current airbase will be absorbed into the much larger development.

Since Rodrigo Duterte assumed office in 2016, Transportation Secretary Arturo Tugade announced that new Airport project bidding will be in January 2017 and the construction will start by mid-2017, to ease congestion at NAIA and traffic along Metro Manila, NAIA however will be become as domestic terminal and Terminal 3 is for low cost carriers. The new airport project can accommodate for Airbus A380 aircraft. Major airlines such as Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific (which possibly become as a full service carrier) will expand their air fleets.

Gallery

Danilo Atienza Air Base

• 
  Aerial view of Sangley Point and Cavite City (c. 1964)
  on Cavite Peninsula in Manila Bay
• 
  Aerial view of base and Cavite City (c. 1964)
  on Cavite Peninsula in Manila Bay.

See also

• U.S. Naval Station Sangley Point — for additional information and history.
• Naval Base Cavite — site of historic Spanish port, also on peninsula.