This is a list of former United States Air Force installations.
Does not include United States Army Air Forces facilities closed before September 1947.[1]
See: North Warning System for a list of contractor-operated Distant Early Warning Line (DEW) radar stations in Greenland (Denmark), Canada and Alaska.
See: Eastern Test Range for Air Force Auxiliary Bases established to support missile and rocket launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station during the 1950s and early 1960s.
Portion transferred to United States Coast Guard
Renamed CGAS Borinquen (Active)
Includes bases in North Africa and the United Kingdom used by Strategic Air Command and bases used by the United States Air Forces in Europe (after 1947). Non-flying minor Air Stations not included.
Used as BGM-109G Ground Launched Cruise Missile base, 1984–1989
Planned BGM-109G Ground Launched Cruise Missile base (Closed 1988, never made active)
Air Bases in Bulgaria and Romania negotiated by diplomatic agreements for USAF use not included
Active USAFE use ended 1963, Reserve status until 1967
Active USAFE use ended 1962, Reserve status until 1966
Active USAFE use ended 1963, Reserve status until 1967
Active USAFE use ended 1964, Reserve status until 1967
Active USAFE use ended 1963, Reserve status until 1967
Includes Occupied Austria (1945–1955), Occupied Germany (1947–1949); West Germany (1949–1990), and Occupied Berlin (West Berlin) (1947–1990)
Turned over to West German Air Force, 1960
Remained in occasional use by USAFE until 1989
Turned over to West German Air Force, 1957
Turned over to United States Army, 1968
Turned over to West German Air Force, 1957
Turned over to West German Air Force, 1957
Turned over to West German Air Force, 1957
USAF Rhein-Main Air Base (Closed 2005)
Transferred to Austrian Police, 1955
Transferred to United States Army, 1976
USAF facility (Lindsey Air Station), Closed 1993
Known as "Site VI" for MGM-1 Matador/MGM-13 Mace tactical missiles 1958–1966
Used as BGM-109G Ground Launched Cruise Missile base, 1985–1990
Used as BGM-109G Ground Launched Cruise Missile base, 1983–1991
(now Stephenville International Airport)
Transferred to Canadian Forces, now CFB Goose Bay
Last USAF units inactivated 1976
Transferred to United States Navy, 1955
Renamed NAS Argentia, then Naval Station Argentia (Closed 1994)
Transferred to Canadian Forces, now CFS St. John's
Transferred to Canadian Forces, now CFS Saglek
SAC/USAFE operational use ended 1966
Transferred to United States Army
SAC deployments ended 1966
Active USAFE use ended 1970. Airfield removed in 1977. Remained as reserve storage and family housing base until 1992 as a satellite of RAF Alconbury.
Used by USAF Security Service until 1997
Major USAF communications base
SAC deployments ended 1966, placed in reserve status by USAFE
Used as BGM-109G Ground Launched Cruise Missile base, 1982–1991
Active USAFE use ended 1957, placed in reserve status
Used as BGM-109G Ground Launched Cruise Missile base, 1986–1989
Now auxiliary of RAF Alconbury, used by NATO Joint Analysis Centre
Active use by USAFE ended 1962, remained as reserve base until 1992
Active USAFE use ended 1970, remained as reserve base until 1992
Caribbean Lend-Lease bases inactivated in 1949, however 99-year lease signed in 1940 remains in effect, United States has right of return until 2039.[1]
Transferred to United States Navy, 1970
Renamed NAS Bermuda (Closed 1995)
Only bases publicly disclosed by United States Air Forces Central listed. Current status is undetermined unless noted.[19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25]
Now: Jalalabad Airport, Afghanistan
Other names: Chapman Airfield
Now: Taloqan Airport, Afghanistan
Note: Former Soviet Air Forces bases[26] **
US Military Designations: FOB/Camp Al-Asad; FOB/Objective Webster
United States Marine Corps Airfield (Closed 2010)
332d Air Expeditionary Wing Supported United States Forces-Iraq transition from combat to stability operations, and help strengthen the capabilities of a sovereign, secure and self-reliant Iraq.
Closed December 2011.
US Military Designations: Camp/FLB Dogwood; FOB Chosin
United States Marine Corps Camp (Closed 2008)
US Military Designations: Camp/FOB Speicher; Camp/FLB Sycamore
Active United States Army Contingency Operating Base
US Military Designations: Camp Cooke; Camp Taji; FOB Gunner
United States Army Forward Operating Base, turned over to Iraqi Army 2010
US Military Designations: FOB Guardian City, FOB Ridgeway, QBJ Redskins
United States Army Forward Operating Base, Current status undetermined
Airport returned to Iraqi Civil Control 2004; full operations resumed 2008/2009
Sather Air Base Victory Base Complex
321st Air Expeditionary Wing
407th Air Expeditionary Group Trained, advised, and assisted the Iraqi Air Force to develop as a professional and credible regional airpower.
Closed December 2011.
US Military Designations: Camp Boom; Camp/FOB Gabe; Camp Freedom; Camp/FOB Warhorse; FOB Scunion; FOB Comanche
United States Army Forward Operating Base, Current status undetermined
Former Iraqi Air Force hardened "Super Base"
Consisted of H-3 Main; H-3 NW; H-3 SW and H-3 Highway (Abandoned 2003)
Camp Korean Village/Camp "KV" (USMC)
Former RAF Habbaniya (1936–1959)
US Military Designation: Camp/FOB Manhattan
Active United States Army Forward Operating Base
Now: Arbil International Airport
US Military Designations: Camp/LSA Viper
United States Marine Corps Camp, 2003
US Military Designations: COB K-1
United States Army Contingency Operating Base, turned over to Iraqi Army 2011
Former Iraqi Air Force hardened "Super Base"
US Military Designation: Camp Lancer
United States Marine Corps Camp, Current status undetermined
Now: Karbala Northeast Airport (Under development)
US Military Designations: Camp Renegade; Camp/FOB Warrior
Active United States Army Contingency Operating Base
US Military Designations: Camp Chesty (USMC); Camp/FOB Delta (USA)
Former Iraqi Air Force hardened "Super Base"
US Military Designations: Camp Diamondback; Camp Claiborne; Camp Marez (USA), USAF use 2003–2007
Now: Mosul International Airport (Under civil control, 2007, US use undetermined)
US Military Designation: Camp Chesty
United States Marine Corps Camp (Closed 2008)
Former Iraqi Air Force hardened "Super Base"
US Military Designations: FOB Headhunter; Camp Independence
Active United States Army training facility for Iraqi police and soldiers.
Now: Al Najaf International Airport (2008)
Former Iraqi Air Force hardened "Super Base"
US Military Designations: Camp Basilone; Camp Fenway;
United States Marine Corps Camp (Closed 2008)
Former Iraqi Air Force hardened "Super Base"
US Military Designations: FOB Endurance; FOB Q-West
Active United States Army facility
US Military Designations: Camp/FOB Falson; Camp Loyalty; Camp Al-Saqr; Camp Muleskinner; Camp Cuervo; Camp Rustamiyah; Camp Redcatcher/Redcatcher Field; Engineer Base Anvil
Active United States Army facility
US Military Designations: Camp Sinjar
United States Army facility closed 2004, now abandoned.
Former Iraqi Air Force hardened "Super Base"
US Military Designations: FOB McKenzie, FOB Pacesetter
Active United States Army facility
Former Iraqi Air Force hardened "Super Base"
Location of Salman Pak facility biological and chemical weapons site.
US Military Designation: FOB Grant, LSA Adder
United States Army facility closed 2004, now abandoned.
US Military Designation: FOB Tall Afar
Active United States Army facility
Former Iraqi Air Force hardened "Super Base"
US Military Designation: Camp Adder
Active United States Army facility
US Military Designation: FOB Remagen
Active United States Army facility, closed 2011
US Military Designation: FOB Bernstein
United States Army Contingency Operating Base, turned over to Iraqi Army 2006
Seized Iraqi air bases not used by the United States:
Former Iraqi Air Force hardened "Super Base"
Former Iraqi Air Force hardened "Super Base" (Abandoned 2003)
Former Iraqi Air Force hardened "Super Base" (Abandoned 2003)
Under Iraqi civil control, 2006, civil general aviation airport.
Site of 1991 Operation Desert Storm Ceasefire (Abandoned 1991)
Former Iraqi Air Force hardened "Super Base"
Airfield intact, support base abandoned 2003
Note: Former Iraqi Air Force "Super Base" designation was given to airfields with numerous above-ground hardened aircraft-shelters and underground facilities that could shelter between four and ten aircraft on average. During Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, the Iraqi Air Force essentially stood down except in a few cases of self-defence against US and British air strikes. Despite their size – or exactly because of it – most of these airfields were barely defended in 2003 and with a few exceptions, the "Super Base" facilities were captured intact with very little damage.
Most Iraqi Air Force aircraft in various conditions from being flyable to abandoned hulks (a large number were buried) were seized by the United States and its coalition partners, however it is known that Syrian and Iranian agents were busy removing radars and items from the avionics bays and cockpits. By autumn 2004 only some 20–25 unserviceable wrecks of Iraqi aircraft and helicopters were left scattered around the many Iraqi airfields. The destruction of the Iraqi Air Force was probably one of the most complete such actions in the history of military aviation.
Although most of the former "Super Bases" have been de-militarized and today are abandoned facilities being reclaimed by the desert, a few were refurbished and were subsequently used by Army, Air Force and Marine units. They may form the organization of a new Iraqi Air Force equipped with surplus United States F-16, C-130 and other light aircraft.[27] [28] [29]
See Far East Air Force Korean airfields (K-sites) for airfields established in the Korean Peninsula during the Korean War (1950–1953)
See Southeast Asia section for USAF bases used during the Vietnam War (1960–1976)
* In 1992 the US government changed the status of three US air bases in South Korea. Kwang Ju Air Base, Suwon Air Base and Taegu Air Base had previously been announced as ending operations, but would instead operate at reduced levels. 15 USAF personnel were assigned to each base, and reside in former officer quarters, which was basically a small apartment. USAF aircraft transit each base, with the personnel providing transient support and maintain USAF equipment stored at each base in case of an emergency for reactivation in which ACC and other units would deploy to them. In addition, the ROK use the airfields as an air base and civil airport.
Note: As part of a mutual defense pact, the Republic of China (Taiwan) permitted United States forces, to utilize many ROC bases between 1957–1979. Deployments ended in 1979 as part of the drawdown of United States military forces in Asia after the end of the Vietnam War and the United States' transfer of diplomatic relations from the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the People's Republic of China in 1979. For more information, see United States Taiwan Defense Command and 327th Air Division.
** Note: Although active USAF use at U-Tapao ended in 1976, USAF and other DoD personnel have been temporarily deployed to the base for contingency operations in South Asia in the years since. Also U-Tapao supports various Foreign Military Sales in South Asia and DoD military personnel assigned to United States diplomatic postings in the region.