Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Shaibah Air Base

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Airport type
  
PrivateEx-military

In use
  
1920-present

Year built
  
1920

Serves
  
Shaibah

Elevation AMSL
  
276 ft / 84 m

Shaibah Air Base

Operator
  
UnknownIraqi ArmyMND(SE)Iraqi Air ForceRoyal Air Force

Location
  
Shaibah, Basra Province

Owner
  
Federal government of Iraq

Shaibah Air Base is a former Iraqi Air Force airfield in the Basrah Governorate of Iraq.

Contents

Royal Air Force use

It was established by the Royal Air Force in 1920 as RAF Shaibah, the resident squadron was No. 84 Squadron RAF until 1940 when No. 244 Squadron RAF took over. No 244 Sqn was involved in the Rashid Ali rebellion on 1941. RAF Station Shaibah was a small and primitive airfield in the desert with a harsh hot and humid climate. It expanded during the Second World War. By July 1942 RAF Shaibah was under the control of the RAF's Air Headquarters Iraq (see AHQ Iraq and Persia). At this time several units were located at Shaibah. They included:

  • No. 115 Maintenance Unit RAF
  • No. 119 Maintenance Unit RAF
  • No. 8 S & T Column

    • Iraqi Air Force use

    In 1956 it was handed over to the Iraqi Air Force, and it then became an Iraqi Air Force airfield.

    The airfield was bombed by a flight of four Mk.82-equipped F-4 Phantom IIs as part of the Operation Revenge launched by Iranian Air Force two hours after the Iraqi invasion of Iran. According to Iranian sources, the MiG-25s and some MiG-23 were stationed in this airbase. The airbase was again bombed in the large-scale Operation Kaman 99 on the second day of the war.

    It was abandoned after Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

    War in Iraq of 2003

    It was captured by Coalition forces during the Iraq War of 2003 and it became the site of a British Military Hospital and the Shaibah Logistics Base (SLB), but the original RAF buildings remain. While the SLB was in operation it was home to British, Dutch, Czech, Danish and Norwegian forces.

    The following British units were posted here at some point under Operation Telic:

  • 53 Field Squadron (Air Support), 39 Engineer Regiment constructing a 1,500 man ECI camp.
  • 160 Transport Regiment (V) RLC on attachment to 2 (Close Support) Battalion REME, from 28 February 2003 until 19 August 2003.
  • East of England Regiment (Volunteers) (EER(V)) during Operation Telic 1, 2 and 6 maintaining the security of the base.
  • 105th Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) attached to 19th Regiment Royal Artillery during Op Telic 5 as 13 Headquarters (HQ) Battery.
  • 200 Battery, Royal Artillery between May 2004 and February 2005.
  • 210 Battery, Royal Artillery (V) providing force protection during Telic 4.
  • 220 Battery, 104th Regiment, Royal Artillery between April 2004 and December 2004 during Telic 4.
  • 269 Battery, Royal Artillery during Telic 4 providing force protection until December 2004 when the RDG took over.
  • 8 TPT Regiment (8LSR) between May 2004 and November 2004 consisting of 3 Tank Transporter Squadron, 5 GT Squadron & 13 GT Squadron.
  • A detachment 9 Supply Regiment from March 2003 until unknown.
  • 84 Medical Supply Squadron, RAMC between August 2003 and unknown.
  • 22 Field Hospital.
  • 207 (Manchester) Field Hospital (Volunteers) providing the lead unit for the field hospital between April 2004 and August 2004.
  • A Company, 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment.

    • In 2007 the SLB was handed over to the Iraqi Army.

    Current use

    Today, refurbished and known as Shaibah Airport, used by light private planes.

    References

    Shaibah Air Base Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA