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 | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  Liwa AB Location in the United Arab Emirates | |||||||||||
| 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.
- ^ a b c d 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.
- ^ a b 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)[...]