Ramon Airbase

Ramon Airbase (Hebrew: בסיס חיל-האוויר רמון (ICAO: LLRM), Basis Hayil-HaAvir Ramon, lit. Ramon Air Force Base) is an Israeli Air Force base southwest of Beersheba, near the town of Mitzpe Ramon. Also titled Kanaf 25 (Hebrew: כנף 25, lit. Wing 25), it was formerly known as Matred.

This article is about the Israeli Air Force base. For the similarly named international airport, see Ramon Airport.
Ramon Israeli Air Force Base
Air Wing 25
בסיס חיל-האוויר רמון
Mitzpe Ramon, Southern District in Israel
Ramon AB is located in Israel
Ramon AB
Ramon AB
Shown within Israel
Coordinates30°46′29″N 034°40′04″E
TypeAirbase
Site information
OwnerIsrael Defense Forces
OperatorIsraeli Air Force
Site history
Built1979 (1979)-82
Built byUS companies
In use1982 - present
Airfield information
IdentifiersICAO: LLRM
Elevation648 metres (2,126 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
07R/25L 3,010 metres (9,875 ft) Asphalt
07L/25R 2,700 metres (8,858 ft) Asphalt

History

It was built as the result of joint Israeli and US government funding as part of the IAF's redeployment out of its bases in the Sinai after the peninsula was handed over to Egypt following the 1978 Camp David Accords. It was constructed between 1979 and 1982 by US companies.[1]

In September 1990, the first AH-64A Apache Peten attack helicopters arrived on Ramon, joined in 2005 by the improved AH-64D Apache Longbow Sharaf.[2][3]

In January 2005, the "Bat" squadron on Ramon was the first to fly the new F-16I jet Sufa adapted to Israeli needs. Shortly afterwards, the "Negev" and "One" squadrons there were also equipped with F-16I jets.[4][5][6]

On September 6, 2007, in Operation Outside the Box four F-15I of the "Hammers" squadron from Hatzerim Airbase and four F-16Is from Ramon attacked an almost completed nuclear reactor in Syria and destroyed it in order to prevent Syria from building its own nuclear bombs (see gallery directly below).[7]

  • The village Mitzpe Ramon and "erosion crater" Makhtesh Ramon south of the base
    The village Mitzpe Ramon and "erosion crater" Makhtesh Ramon south of the base
  • Bases abandoned on the Sinai Peninsula (red) and newly built in southern Israel (blue)
    Bases abandoned on the Sinai Peninsula (red) and newly built in southern Israel (blue)
  • The Syrian nuclear reactor before and after destruction by Operation Outside the Box in 2007
    The Syrian nuclear reactor before and after destruction by Operation Outside the Box in 2007
  • ATC Tower on Ramon Airbase in 2018
    ATC Tower on Ramon Airbase in 2018
  • Change of command ceremony on Ramon Airbase in Juni 2020
    Change of command ceremony on Ramon Airbase in Juni 2020
  • Map of Ramon Airbase with further dedails and directions to cities
    Map of Ramon Airbase with further dedails and directions to cities

Current

Currently (2023), in addition to the three F-16I squadrons, two squadrons of AH-64A/D Apache attack helicopters are based here, the only ones in Israel.[8]

For many years there have been considerations of purchasing new AH-64E Apache attack helicopters from Boeing, but this has so far failed due to the costs.[9][10]

Units

Note: IAF aircraft can usually be assigned to their squadron by the symbols on the tail

See also

References
  1. "Pentagon Selects Two Contractors to Construct Negev Air Bases". 21 May 1979.
  2. "The Magic Touch Squadron". IAF-Website. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  3. "30 years to the 113th ("Hornet") Squadron". IAF-Website. 2020-10-22. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  4. "The Bat Squadron". IAF-Website. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  5. "The Negev Squadron". IAF-Website. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  6. "The One Squadron". IAF-Website. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  7. "After a decade Israel admits: We bombed Syria nuclear reactor in 2007". The Jerusalem Post. 2018-03-22. Retrieved 2023-09-27.
  8. "Ramon AFB Combat Preparation". IAF-Website. 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  9. "IAF Considers New Apache-E Helicopter". Israel Defense. 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  10. "Israeli Air Force could buy 20 new helicopters from US". The Jerusalem Post. 2023-05-22. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
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