Bagram Airfield

Bagram Airfield
A USAF F-16 Fighting Falcon taking off at Bagram Airfield in January 2015
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OwnerMinistry of Defense
OperatorAfghan Armed Forces
LocationBagram, Afghanistan
Elevation AMSL4,895 ft / 1,492 m
Coordinates34°56′46″N 069°15′54″E / 34.94611°N 69.26500°E / 34.94611; 69.26500
Map
OAI is located in Afghanistan
OAI
OAI
Location of airport in Afghanistan
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
03R/21L 3,724 12,218 Concrete
03L/21R 2,953 9,688 Concrete
Source: skyvector.com;[1] Google Earth[2]

Bagram Airfield-BAF, also known as Bagram Air Base[3] (IATA: OAI, ICAO: OAIX), is located 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) southeast of Charikar in the Parwan Province of Afghanistan. It is under the Afghan Ministry of Defense. Sitting on the site of the ancient Bagram at an elevation of 1,492 metres (4,895 ft) above sea level, the air base has two concrete runways.[2] The main one measures 3,602 by 46 metres (11,819 ft × 151 ft), capable of handling large military aircraft, including the Lockheed Martin C-5 Galaxy. The second runway measures 2,953 by 26 metres (9,687 ft × 85 ft).[1] The air base also has at least three large hangars, a control tower, numerous support buildings, and various housing areas. There are also more than 13 hectares (32 acres) of ramp space and five aircraft dispersal areas, with over 110 revetments.

Bagram Air Base was formerly the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan,[4] staffed by the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing of the U.S. Air Force, along with rotating units of the U.S. and coalition forces. It was expanded and modernized by the Americans.[5] There is also a hospital with 50 beds, three operating theatres and a modern dental clinic.[6] Kabul International Airport is located approximately 40 km (25 mi) south of Bagram, connected by two separate roads.

On 15 August 2021, the entire base fell to Taliban rebel forces after the NATO-trained Afghan National Army had surrendered.[7][8] All prisoners at the Parwan Detention Facility were released.[6][9] The International Committee of the Red Cross had revealed that since August 2009 it was informed about inmates of a second prison where detainees are held in isolation and without access to the International Red Cross that is usually guaranteed to all prisoners; the existence of a second prison was denied by U.S. authorities.[10]

  1. ^ a b "Bagram Airport". skyvector.com. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Google Earth".
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference BBC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Bagram: Last US and Nato forces leave key Afghanistan base". BBC News. 2 July 2021.
  5. ^ "BARRACKS 15–18 PROJECT, BAGRAM AIR BASE – AFGHANISTAN". www.77constructionusa.com.
  6. ^ a b "U.S. Forces Have Left Afghanistan's Bagram Airfield as 20-Year War Winds Down". NPR. 2 July 2021.
  7. ^ Mistlin (now), Alex; Sullivan (earlier), Helen; Harding, Luke; Harding, Luke; Borger, Julian; Mason, Rowena (15 August 2021). "Afghanistan: Kabul to shift power to 'transitional administration' after Taliban enter city – live updates". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  8. ^ "The Taliban Captured Helicopters. Can They Capture an Air Force?". Defense One. 13 August 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  9. ^ "U.S. Withdraws from largest airbase in Afghanistan". NBC News. 2 July 2021.
  10. ^ Red Cross confirms 'second jail' at Bagram, Afghanistan; BBC, 11 May 2010. The existence of this second prison was denied by U.S. authorities.