Aviano Air Base

Aviano Air Base
Aeroporto Pagliano e Gori di Aviano
Near Aviano, Friuli-Venezia Giulia in Italy
A US Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon of the 31st Fighter Wing based at Aviano
Aviano is located in Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Aviano
Aviano
Aviano is located in Italy
Aviano
Aviano
Aviano is located in Europe
Aviano
Aviano
Aviano is located in Mediterranean
Aviano
Aviano
Coordinates46°01′53″N 012°35′49″E / 46.03139°N 12.59694°E / 46.03139; 12.59694
TypeUsed by the US and Italian air forces
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence (Ministero della Difesa)
OperatorItalian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare) US Air Force
Controlled byItaly[1]
ConditionOperational
Websitewww.aviano.af.mil
Site history
Built1911 (1911)
In use1911–present (Italian Air Force)
1954–present (US Air Force)
Garrison information
Current
commander
Colonel Luca Crovatti[2]
Garrison31st Fighter Wing
Occupants
Airfield information
IdentifiersIATA: AVB, ICAO: LIPA, WMO: 160360
Elevation125.8 metres (413 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
05/23 2,987 metres (9,800 ft) Asphalt
Source: SkyVector Aeronautical Charts[3]

Aviano Air Base (IATA: AVB, ICAO: LIPA) (Italian: Base aerea di Aviano) is a base in northeastern Italy, in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. It is located in the Aviano municipality, at the foot of the Carnic Pre-Alps or Southern Carnic Alps, about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Pordenone.

The Italian Air Force has ownership, and administrative and military control of the base.[1] It hosts the U.S. Air Force's 31st Fighter Wing and per nuclear sharing is one of six active air bases in five European countries with B61 nuclear bombs in underground WS3 Weapon Storage and Security System inside aircraft shelters.[4]

The 31st Fighter Wing is the only U.S. fighter wing south of the Alps.[5] The 31st Fighter Wing is made up of two General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter squadrons, the 555th Fighter Squadron and the 510th Fighter Squadron, allowing it to fly both attack and defensive missions.

  1. ^ a b "www.carabinieri.it".
  2. ^ "Cambio del Comandante all'aeroporto di Aviano - PN". 28 September 2019.
  3. ^ "LIPA - Aviano Airport". SkyVector. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  4. ^ "Armi nucleari in Italia: Dove, come, perché". 24 April 2013.
  5. ^ "31st Fighter Wing Fact Sheet". Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.