King Khalid Air Base

King Khalid Air Base
Khamis Mushait, 'Asir Region in Saudi Arabia
King Khalid Air Base Shown within Saudi Arabia
Coordinates	18°18′25″N 42°48′33″E
Type	Air Base
Site information
Owner	Royal Saudi Arabian Armed Forces
Operator	Royal Saudi Air Force
Site history
Built	1960 (1960)
In use	1960-present
Garrison information
Garrison	RSAF Wing 5
Airfield information
Identifiers	IATA: KMX, ICAO: OEKM
Elevation	2,050 metres (6,726 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 12,400 ft (3,780 m)

King Khalid Air Base (Arabic: قاعدة الملك خالد الجوية) (KKAB) is an airbase of Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) in the south-west of Saudi Arabia, near Khamis Mushait.

History

The airbase, with code KMX, has a 12,400 ft (3,780 m) paved runway without customs facilities. The base was designed and built by the Dutch company Ballast Nedam for BAE in the 1960s, with additional construction through the 1970s and 1980s, and has McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle service facilities.[1]

Gulf war

During the Gulf War in 1991, the USAF had a base here from which they launched F-117 stealth fighter from the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing on Baghdad, and other high priority targets in Iraq.[2] On the opening night of the war, Vickers VC10 tankers from No. 101 Squadron RAF launched here refueled Royal Air Force Panavia Tornado GR1s.[3]

The RSAF forces included the newly formed 66th Squadron with Tornado GR1 aircraft and immediately after Gulf war 1 they took delivery of the RSAF GR1a Reconnaissance versions supported by the 66th Squadron Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre (RIC).

Later in the 1990s a second Tornado GR1 Squadron formed - 83rd Squadron.

Current use

• RSAF Wing 5:[4]
  • No. 6 Squadron RSAF with McDonnell Douglas F-15SA Strike Eagles & F-15S
  • No. 55 Squadron RSAF with F-15SA Strike Eagles
  • No. 99 Squadron RSAF with the Eurocopter AS532M Cougar
  • Detachment from No. 14 Squadron RSAF with the Bell 412EP & AB212
  • No. 202 Squadron RSAF with the CH-4B
  • No. 203 Squadron RSAF with the CH-4B

See also

• List of airports in Saudi Arabia
• List of things named after Saudi Kings

References

1. Cordesman, Anthony H.; Al-Rodhan, Khalid R. (2007). Gulf Military Forces in an Era of Asymmetric Wars. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 216. ISBN 978-0-275-99399-3. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
2. Ham, Anthony; Shams, Martha Brekhus; Madden, Andrew (15 September 2004). Saudi Arabia. Lonely Planet. p. 134. ISBN 978-1-74059-667-1. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
3. "19 Years Over Iraq". The Official RAF Annual Review 2010. Stamford: Key Publishing: 8. December 2010.
4. "Royal Saudi Air Force - Khamis Mushayt/King Khalid Air Base (OEKM)". Scramble.nl. Retrieved 15 November 2023.