| Al-Asad Airbase Qadisiyah Airbase | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Anbar Governorate in Iraq | |||||||||||
  Al Asad  Al Asad  Al Asad | |||||||||||
| Coordinates | 33°48′N 42°26′E / 33.800°N 42.433°E | ||||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||||
| Owner | Ministry of Defence | ||||||||||
| Operator | United States Airforce Iraqi Air Force | ||||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||||
| Built | 2003 | ||||||||||
| In use | 2003-current | ||||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||||
| Identifiers | IATA: IQA[2], ICAO: ORAA, LID: MAA | ||||||||||
| Elevation | 188 metres (617 ft) AMSL | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Other airfield facilities | ILS planned in 2016[1] | ||||||||||
Al-Asad Airbase (IATA: IQA[2], ICAO: ORAA) is an Iraqi airbase located in al-Anbar Governorate of western Iraq. It was originally known as Qadisiyah Airbase.
It was the second largest US military airbase in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Until January 2010, it was the home of the II Marine Expeditionary Force/Multi-National Force West. Other major tenants have included the 3rd ID's 4th IBCT, 82nd Airborne Division Advise & Assist Brigade, 332nd Medical Brigade, 321st Sustainment Brigade, Vertical Onboard Delivery Detachment-1 (VOD-1),[3][unreliable source?] VAQ-141, Navy Customs Battalion Juliet, elements of the Iraqi Army's 7th Division, and the United States Air Force (USAF).[4]
On December 26, 2018, President Donald Trump and his wife Melania visited the soldiers stationed at the base.[5] On November 23, 2019, Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen, visited the troops ahead of Thanksgiving.[6] On January 8, 2020, the air base came under an Iranian ballistic missile attack in retaliation for the killing of Quds leader Qasem Soleimani in a U.S. drone strike a few days earlier.[7]
- ^ Tilghman, Andrew (September 29, 2016). "The U.S. military is still whacking moles in Iraq's Anbar province". Military Times. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
- ^ a b "Airline and Airport Code Search". IATA. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
- ^ "Al Asad Airbase, Al Anbar, Iraq". Airforce-Technology.com. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
- ^ "SP-MAGTF Commander Details ISIL Strikes; Notes 1st Marines 'Could Clear'". Breaking Defense. Breaking Media. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
- ^ "Remarks by President Trump to Troops at Al Asad Air Base, Al Anbar Province, Iraq". whitehouse.gov. 26 December 2018 – via National Archives.
- ^ "Vice President Mike Pence takes swipe at Congress during unannounced visit to Iraq". CNN. 23 November 2019.
- ^ "Rockets land at Iraq's Ain Al-Asad air base that contains US forces — reports". Arab News. 2020-01-08. Retrieved 2020-01-07.