Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed Air Base Explained

Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed Air Base
Partof:	Tunisian Air Force
Type:	Military airfield
Pushpin Map:	Tunisia
Pushpin Mapsize:	200px
Pushpin Map Caption:	Location of Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed Air Base, Tunisia
Built:	1943
Controlledby:	Tunisian Air ForceUnited States Air Force

Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed Air Base is a Tunisian Air Force base located approximately 7 km west of Menzel Abderhaman, and 9 km west-southwest of Bizerte.

Units stationed at the base are:

• No. 11 Squadron

Jet trainer squadron, Aermacchi MB-326

• No. 15 Squadron

Fighter squadron, Northrop F-5 Tiger/TigerII

• No. 21 Squadron
• Transport squadron, C-130 Hercules, Let L-410 Turbolet, G-222

World War II

During World War II it was used by the United States Army Air Forces Twelfth Air Force during the North African Campaign. It was known as Bizerte Airfield. Several Allied units used the base in 1943. It was a heavy bomber airfield used by B-17 Flying Fortress strategic bombers of the 2d Bombardment Group, between 2 and 9 December 1943. There was a major air depot co-located at Sidi Ahmen.

Post-World War II

AFRICOM secretly operates a drone base at Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed Air Base.^{[1] [2]}

See also

• Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress airfields in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations

External links

• Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. .
• Book: Maurer, Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II. 1969. reprint. 1982. Office of Air Force History. Washington, DC. 0-405-12194-6. 72556. 70605402.
• Tunisian Air Force order of battle

Notes and References

1. Web site: U.S. has secretly expanded its global network of drone bases to North Africa. The Washington Post. 26 October 2016.
2. Web site: America Is Quietly Expanding Its War in Tunisia. The National Interest. 18 September 2018.