Isa Air Base

Isa Air Base, formerly Shaikh Isa Air Base (ICAO: OBBS), is located on the island nation of Bahrain. Isa Air Base is located on the shore of the Persian Gulf in southern Bahrain.

Isa Air Base

Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OperatorRoyal Bahraini Air Force
LocationBahrain
Elevation AMSL136 ft / 41 m
Coordinates25°55′06″N 050°35′26″E
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
15/33 3,800 12,467 Concrete and Asphalt
Source: DAFIF[1]

It hosts the Royal Bahraini Air Force (RBAF) Fighter Wing and the two squadrons that comprise it.

History

During the first Gulf War, some of the Coalition forces, having trouble with the Arab pronunciation, knew the base under the name "Shakey's Pizza".[2]

Current use
U.S. Marine Corps Marine Aircraft Group 11 aircraft at Sheik Isa, in 1991.

Bahrain

The base is home to the RBAF's 1st Fighter Wing:

  • 1st Fighter Squadron – Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon C/D Block 40
  • 2nd Fighter Squadron – F-16C/D Block 40
  • 6th Fighter Squadron – Northrop F-5E/F
  • 5th Squadron – British Aerospace Hawk
  • 4th Squadron – Slingsby T-67 Firefly

United States

In March 2009, the United States Air Force established a camp on Isa Air Base to support aerial port operations. The unit was designated a detachment of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing of Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. This detachment's purpose was to accelerate the delivery of mine-resistant ambush-protected all-terrain vehicles to U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

As part of its operations against ISIL, the United States has deployed various aircraft there.[3]

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References
  1. Airport information for OBBS at World Aero Data. Data current as of October 2006.Source: DAFIF.
  2. Frederick Forsyth: "The Fist of God", ISBN 0-552-13990-4
  3. AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. May 2015. p. 59.
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