Airport type Military Elevation AMSL 52 ft / 16 m 6,960 2,121 Province Buenos Aires Province | Location Argentina 05/23 6,960 2,121 Asphalt Serves Punta Indio Partido | |
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Address Punta Indio, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina Similar Camping Municipal Punta Indio, La Betty, Cabañas Amanecer, Caba as la Berta, Pueblerina Viajes | ||
Punta Indio Naval Air Base (Spanish: Base Aeronaval Punta Indio, ICAO: SAAI) is a military airport operated by the Argentine Naval Aviation located near Punta Indio, Buenos Aires province, Argentina.
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History
Punta Indio Naval Air Base (Argentine Navy identifier: BAPI), the cradle of Argentine Naval Aviation, was established in 1928 on land that was donated by Martín Tornquist, who founded the nearby city of Verónica located about 5 kilometers away. The base was strategically located to control access by ship to the River Plate (Spanish: Río de la Plata), initially via manned balloons.
On 16 June 1955, Punta Indio was the base from where the naval aircraft that bombarded the Casa Rosada attempting to kill president Juan Domingo Perón took off. This action would be the preface to the September uprising known as "Revolución Libertadora".
In April 1963, during the Navy uprising (part of the Azules y Colorados confrontation), rebel naval aircraft from Punta Indio attacked the loyalist 8th Tank Regiment; afterwards the air base was attacked by the loyalist Air Force and occupied by the Army.
During the National Reorganization Process, a Clandestine Detention Centre was active at Punta Indio.
In 2008 the First Naval Air Squadron was deactivated due to lack of budget.
En el 2011 the 90th anniversary of the foundation of the Naval Aviation School was celebrated.
Units
Punta Indio Naval Air Base is the location of the First Naval Air Force (Spanish: Fuerza Aeronaval N° 1), composed of the following units: