H-4 Air Base Explained

H-4 Air Base
Ensign:Roundel of Jordan.svg
Ensign Size:70px
Location:Ruwaished, Mafraq Governorate
Country:Jordan
Pushpin Map:Jordan
Pushpin Label:H-4 AB
Pushpin Map Caption:Shown within Jordan
Type:Air Base
Ownership:Jordanian Armed Forces
Operator:Royal Jordanian Air Force
Built:1932–1934
Builder:Iraq Petroleum Company
Used:Unknown–present
Elevation:681m (2,234feet)
Icao:OJRW
R1-Number:10/28
R1-Length:2480m (8,140feet)
R1-Surface:Asphalt

H-4 Air Base [1] is a Royal Jordanian Air Force base located near Ruwaished in Mafraq Governorate, Jordan.

Overview

This airfield was built to support the H4 oil pumping station of the Kirkuk–Haifa oil pipeline built by the Iraq Petroleum Company between 1932 and 1934 in the Emirate of Transjordan at that time a protectorate of the British Empire. The airfield was used by the RAF during World War II as the Advanced Headquarters for operations against the rebels in Iraq during the Anglo-Iraqi War. The Airbase is now operated by the Royal Jordanian Air Force.

Between November 2014 and January 2015, the United States began positioning MQ-9 Reaper UAVs at the base.[2]

The base also houses AH-1F Cobras, believed to be from the 10th and 12th Squadrons of the Royal Jordanian Air Force, and a Cessna 208B Caravan from the 15th Squadron and the Air Tractor 802i from the 25th Squadron [2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020-07-16 . AIP Jordan Supplement 2/20, Location Indicators . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231110215710/https://carc.gov.jo/images/AIS/AIP_SUPPLEMENT/AIPSUP2-20.pdf . 2023-11-10 . 2023-11-10 . Jordan Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission . en.
  2. News: We’ve Spotted a Secret American Drone Base in Jordan . War is Boring . George . Kaplan . July 3, 2017 . July 4, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170704032411/https://warisboring.com/weve-spotted-a-secret-american-drone-base-in-jordan/.