Al-Safran Air Base
Airport
Liwa Air Base
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Summary | |||||||||
Airport type | Military | ||||||||
Operator | United Arab Emirates Air Force | ||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 394 ft / 120 m | ||||||||
Coordinates | 23°39′7″N 53°49′14″E / 23.65194°N 53.82056°E / 23.65194; 53.82056 | ||||||||
Map | |||||||||
Runways | |||||||||
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The
Al-Safran Air Base
(
ICAO
:
OMLW
,
[1]
alternatively called
Liwa
[2]
) is a
military air base
operated by the
United Arab Emirates Air Force
, located approximately 80 miles southwest of
Abu Dhabi
, near
Madinat Zayed
.
[3]
[4]
History
Construction of the base cost an estimated $1 billion. [3] Construction was carried out by Capriole Construction Co. LLC. [5] A Mirage 2000 squadron was moved to the base in 2007, and it was completed in approximately 2008. [3] [6] The base underwent an expansion of its airport apron in 2017, the same year it added six new aircraft shelters. [7]
Description
The base has one runway, hardened aircraft shelters , and a subterranean ammunition dump . [3] The bases houses two ground control stations . [7] The base is defended by the Super aEgis II sentry gun . [8]
References
- ↑ "UAE Aeronautical Information Publication GEN 2.4" (PDF) . www.gcaa.gov.ae . General Civil Aviation Authority. 2018-11-08. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-04-03 . Retrieved 2021-04-03 .
-
↑
Olson, Richard Gustave (February 9, 2010).
"US embassy cables: UAE prince fears 'logic of war'
"
.
The Guardian
.
The UAE recently hosted an AFCENT survey team to consider U.S. access to Liwa (Safran) Air Base in support of contingency operations.
- 1 2 3 4 Tim Ripley (1 January 2010). Middle East Air Power in the 21st Century . Casemate Publishers. p. 240. ISBN 978-1-84884-099-7 .
-
↑
Sweetman, Bill; Osborne, Tony.
"It's Open Season For Defense Sales To UAE"
.
Aviation Week
.
Al-Dhafra AB, a major hub for USAF operations in the region, is the main UAE fighter base, while a new facility called Al-Safran, built in the desert near Madinat Zayed, is home to Mirage 2000 units.
-
↑
"List of projects"
. Abo Raia Technical Work LLC
. Retrieved
October 6,
2018
.
Construction of Different facilities at Safran Airbase Safran Airbase, Liwa [...] Capriole Construction Co.LLc
-
↑
Osborne, Tony.
"UAE's Mysterious Airbase"
.
Aviation Week
.
This led to the construction of a new fighter air base called Al-Safran AB near the town of Al-Gharbia, housing at least one Mirage 2000 unit. Al-Safran is believed to have opened between around 2008.
- 1 2 Bellingcat Investigation Team (October 2, 2018). "UAV Infrastructure Noted at the UAE's al-Safran Airbase" . bellingcat .
-
↑
Parkin, Simon (July 16, 2015).
"Killer robots: The soldiers that never sleep"
.
BBC News
.
The Super aEgis II, first revealed in 2010, is one of a new breed of automated weapon, able to identify, track and destroy a moving target from a great distance, theoretically without human intervention [...] The turret is currently in active use in numerous locations in the Middle East, including three airbases in the United Arab Emirates (Al Dhafra, Al Safran and Al Minad)[...]
Airports
in the
United Arab Emirates
|
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Major international | |
Minor international | |
Domestic | |
Unscheduled | |
Military |