Al Minhad Air Base
قاعدة المنهاد الجوية
Near Dubai in the United Arab Emirates
A BAe Hawk 102 gate guardian at Al Minhad AB
Emblem of the United Arab Emirates Air Force
Al Minhad AB is located in United Arab Emirates
Al Minhad AB
Al Minhad AB
Location in the United Arab Emirates
Coordinates25°01.61′N 055°21.98′E / 25.02683°N 55.36633°E / 25.02683; 55.36633
TypeUAE Air Force base
Site information
OwnerGovernment of the United Arab Emirates
OperatorUnited Arab Emirates Air Force
Controlled byCentral Air Command
ConditionOperational
Airfield information
IdentifiersIATA: NHD, ICAO: OMDM
Elevation52 metres (171 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
09/27 3,932 metres (12,900 ft) asphalt/concrete
Sources: DoD FLIP[1]

Al Minhad Air Base (Arabic: قاعدة المنهاد الجوية, IATA: NHD, ICAO: OMDM, also just Minhad Air Base[1]) is a military installation in the United Arab Emirates. The base is located approximately 15 miles (24 km) south of Dubai and is operated by the United Arab Emirates Air Force. It is currently the headquarters of the Australian Defence Force's Joint Task Force 633 and supports Australian operations in the Middle East. The base was "a critical hub for Coalition/ISAF partners in Afghanistan, including the Australians, Dutch, Canadians, Brits and Kiwis."[2]

Facilities

The airfield resides at an elevation of 172 ft (52 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway, 09/27 which has an asphalt surface measuring 12,901 ft × 150 ft (3,932 m × 46 m),[1] and a parallel taxiway with a width of 38 m (125 ft).[3]

Foreign users

Several foreign countries allied to the United Arab Emirates are believed to have made use of Al Minhad Air Base since the early 2000s to support the logistics supply chain for their military operations in Afghanistan. Use of the Al Minhad Air Base is a sensitive matter for the Government of the United Arab Emirates, which imposes a diplomatic agreement stating that the militaries of foreign governments not advertise the host nation nor location of their operations in the United Arab Emirates due to "local sensitivities" about allowing a foreign military presence within its borders.[4]

  •  Canada - The Canadian Forces operated a forward logistics support facility in the Middle East, which they had codenamed Camp Mirage. It is widely believed that Camp Mirage was located at Al Minhad Air Base from its founding in autumn 2001 until its closure in autumn 2010 due to an unrelated disagreement over securing additional landing rights for UAE's civilian airlines at Canadian airports. The United States military relied on the UAE bases for assistance during the Gulf War and the recent conflict in Iraq.

References

  1. 1 2 3 DoD Flight Information Publication (Enroute) - Supplement Europe, North Africa and Middle East. St. Louis, Missouri: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 2021. p. B-351.
  2. ↑ Globalsecurity 2022.
  3. ↑ "Al Minhad Air Base | Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability". nautilus.org. 2011-12-19. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Globalsecurity 2009.
  5. ↑ Brissenden, Michael (15 September 2014). "Al Minhad Air Base: A closer look at Australia's base for operations in the Middle East". ABC News. ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  6. ↑ "Al Minhad Air Base - Global Collaborative". Australian Bases Abroad. Nautilus Institute. 2009. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
  7. ↑ AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. November 2014. p. 4.
  8. ↑ AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. August 2015. p. 31.
  9. 1 2 3 United States Department of State 2010.
  10. ↑ Frank Gardner (29 April 2013). "'East of Suez': Are UK forces returning?". BBC News. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  11. ↑ British Government, 906 Expeditionary Air Wing Stands Up in the United Arab Emirates, January 2013
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