Kandahar International Airport

Ahmad Shah Baba International Airport

Pashto: د کندهار نړيوال هوايي ډګر
Photos captured during NATO's control and freedom
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerGovernment of Afghanistan
OperatorGAAC Holding[1]
ServesSouthern Afghanistan
LocationDaman District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan
Built1962[2]
Elevation AMSL3,338 ft / 1,017 m
Coordinates31°30′21″N 065°50′52″E / 31.50583°N 65.84778°E / 31.50583; 65.84778 (Kandahar International Airport (Kandahar))
Map
OAKN is located in Afghanistan
OAKN
OAKN
Location in Afghanistan
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
05/23 3,200 10,499 Asphalt
Helipads
Number Length Surface
m ft
Pad 370 1,214 Paved
Sources: Landings.com,[3] AIP Afghanistan[4]

Ahmad Shah Baba International Airport, also referred to as Kandahar International Airport (Pashto: د کندهار نړيوال هوايي ډګر[5]), and by some military officials as Kandahar Airfield, KAF) (IATA: KDH, ICAO: OAKN),[6] is located in the Daman District of Kandahar Province in Afghanistan, about 9 NM (17 km; 10 mi) southeast from the city of Kandahar.[4] It serves as the nation's second main international airport and as one of the largest main operating bases, capable of housing up to 250 aircraft of different sizes.[7] The current head of the airport is Maulvi Fathullah Mansour.[8]

The airport was built by Americans in the early 1960s.[2] It was occupied by the Soviets during the 1980s Soviet–Afghan War, as well as serving as the Afghan Army’s 665th Commando Brigade headquarters. Following their withdrawal the airport remained in control of Mohammad Najibullah's government until he stepped down in 1992. Thereafter, local military commanders took control of the airport until the American invasion in late 2001. It was also the site of Airstan incident in 1995, as well as the Indian Airlines Flight 814 incident in 1999.[9][10]

Since 2007, the airport has been repaired and expanded.[7] Its runway can support all types of aircraft, including a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III or an Antonov An-225 Mriya. The airport can be used for both military and civilian flights. The military section of the airport is maintained by the Afghan Armed Forces. The Afghan National Police provides security inside and outside the civilian terminal of the airport.[11]

Other nearby airports to Kandahar are Tarinkot Airport in neighboring Uruzgan Province to the north, Qalat Airport in Zabul Province to the northeast, and Bost Airport in Lashkar Gah to the west.

  1. ^ Faiez, Rahim (9 September 2022). "Taliban: UAE Firm to Run Flight Services on Afghan Airports". The Diplomat. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Helmand's Golden Age was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Airport record for Kandahar International Airport at Landings.com. Retrieved 2013-8-1
  4. ^ a b "Aerodrome Edition 83 – Effective date 12 Oct 17" (PDF). Civil Aviation Authority of Afghanistan. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  5. ^ "OAKN/Kandahar International General Airport Information". acukwik.com. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Kandahar International Airport in Kandahar, Afghanistan". Military Bases. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Kandahar airport gaining international trust". Pajhwok Afghan News. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  8. ^ "Interim cabinet expanded; corps commanders named". Pajhwok Afghan News. 23 November 2021.
  9. ^ "OAKN/Kandahar International General Airport Information". acukwik.com. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  10. ^ "2.2.3 Afghanistan Kandahar International Airport - Logistics Capacity Assessment - Digital Logistics Capacity Assessments". dlca.logcluster.org. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  11. ^ Tanha, Ahmad Fareed (23 June 2018). "Kandahar International Airport lacks elemental facilities". Pajhwok Afghan News. Retrieved 4 August 2020.