Shindand Air Base
| Shindand Airbase | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
| IATA: OA5 – ICAO: OASD | |||
| Summary | |||
| Owner |  Afghanistan |
||
| Operator | Afghanistan Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation | ||
| Location | Shindand | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 3,773 ft / 1,150 m | ||
| Coordinates | 33°23′28.79″N 62°15′39.51″E / 33.3913306°N 62.260975°ECoordinates: 33°23′28.79″N 62°15′39.51″E / 33.3913306°N 62.260975°E | ||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 18/36 | 9,140 | 2,700 | Concrete |
Shindand Air Base (ICAO: OASD) is located in the western part of Afghanistan in the Herat province, 7 miles northeast of the city of Sabzwar. The runway has a concrete surface. An all weather asphalt road connects it with the Kandahar–Herat Highway, part of Highway 1 (the national ring road). The base is of great strategic importance being just 75 miles from the border of Iran. Plans have been put forward to build a second 1.3 mile runway at the base, which will significantly increase its capabilities. [1]
Once the largest Afghan Air Force base, it is now used by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) for humanitarian, training, and medical flights. The United States Air Force's 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group is based at Shindand AB supporting the ISAF and NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan mission.[2] Since 2008 the base has also been used by the CIA for secret surveillance missions over Iran and Afghanistan that have included use of ultra-top secret Sensitive Compartmented Information RQ-170 drone.[3]
[edit] History
Shindand is a Soviet-era base.
It was captured by the Taliban forces in 1997 and recaptured by the United States Air and Ground Cavalry in August 2004. Originally built in 1961, the Soviet-built runway sustained massive damage during bombing when coalition forces initially entered Afghanistan in 2002.
In 2010 the runway was refurbished so that it is able to support all Afghan National Army Air Force aircraft currently in use and opens western Afghanistan to larger fixed wing aircraft like the C-17 Globemaster III.[4]
In mid 2011 an expansion of the base was completed which tripled its size. Construction was scheduled to begin on a new 1.3-mile NATO training runway in early 2012.[5] But this has been canceled.
The US Army Corps of Engineers have recently added an additional 56,000 square meters of apron and taxiways capable of handling large strategic lift aircraft such as C-17s, eliminating the required two hour runway closure time that was usually required with each C-17 arrival. Also added were a 1,200 sq meter cargo terminal, a 790 sq meter passenger terminal and a fire suppression system with nearly 600,000 liters of water have also been added to the air base.[6][7]
Supplying U.S. Army soldiers in Regional Command West, in March 2011 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (Virginia National Guard) was replaced by the 298th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (Mississippi National Guard).[8][9] In early January 2012 the 298th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion was replaced by the 365th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (also Mississippi National Guard).[10][11]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.stripes.com/news/sprawling-air-base-in-western-afghanistan-reflects-hopes-perils-of-massive-buildup-1.169947
- ^ 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group Warriors of the Month award winners, 29 Dec 2010
- ^ John Walcott, "Iran Shows Downed Spy Drone as U.S. Assesses Technology Loss," Bloomberg Businessweek (December 9, 2011).
- ^ Western Afghanistan Air Base Ready for Partners to Take Flight
- ^ Lt. Col. Joe DelCampo, Shindand Air Base triples in size, 12 July 2011; alt link [1]
- ^ South District turns over Shindand strategic airlift apron, cargo and passenger terminals, 14 Jan 2012
- ^ Shindand AB ushers in new strategic taxiway
- ^ Petty Officer 1st Class John Pearl, 298th CSSB Takes Command in Afghanistan
- ^ 298th CSSB Takes Command in Afghanistan
- ^ Task Force Choctaw assumes sustainment mission in West
- ^ 298th RIP/TOA Ceremony
