Wadi Seidna Air Base

Wadi Seidna Air Base (ICAO: HSWS) (Arabic: قاعدة وادي سيّدنا, romanized: wadi sayyidna) is a military airport 22 kilometres (14 mi) north of Khartoum in Sudan.

Wadi Seidna Air Base
قاعدة وادي سيّدنا
Khartoum, Sudan
 Sudan
HSWS is located in Sudan
HSWS
HSWS
Location of the airport in Sudan
Coordinates15°49′00″N 32°30′55″E
TypeMilitary
Site information
OwnerGovernment of Sudan
Airfield information
IdentifiersICAO: HSWS
Runways
Direction Length and surface
{{{r1-length}}} Asphalt
Source: Google Maps[1] FallingRain[2]

After the 2023 Sudan conflict began, the French Special Forces, the U.K. Royal Air Force , the German Luftwaffe, the Royal Netherlands Air Force and the Spanish Air and Space Force began evacuating civilians through the airbase.[3]

The air base's history goes back to World War II. The U.S. Army Air Forces' 46th Ferrying Squadron, Air Transport Command, was activated at the base on 2 December 1942. The squadron was assigned to the 13th Ferrying Group which was responsible for a region spanning El Geneine, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, now in West Darfur, to Karachi, British India (now Pakistan), and from Cairo, Egypt, to Tehran, Iran. The squadron was responsible for the aerial transportation of personnel, supplies and mail throughout this area.

The death of Oliver Rixham, a RAF officer in 1942, serving at the base, led to research which identifies some additional information on activity [4]

Several articles (March-June 2015) by RAF service members during WW2 can be found; one account refers to the capture of two civilian Italian transport aircraft when war with Italy began - as they shared the airfield.[5]

Two sources give different details about the stay of No. 114 Maintenance Unit RAF at Wadi Seidna. National Archives say that No. 114 Maintenance Unit was formed at Wadi Seidna in April 1942 but then disbanded in February 1943.[6] RAFweb indicates 114 MU was located at Wadi Seidna between 26 December 1941 and 20 February 1943.

On 7 May 1944, No 115 (Transport) Wing RAF was established at the station by redesignating No 2 (Middle East) Ferry Control within No. 216 Group RAF.[7]

By 1946, the field was no longer in use.[8]

The base now hosts elements of the Sudanese Air Force.

The runway is in the desert 1.5 kilometres (1 mi) west of the Nile River. The Khartoum VOR-DME (Ident: KTM) is located 15.2 nautical miles (28 km) south of the air base.[9]

There are indications that the field was used at times during WW2 and afterwards for 'Tropical Trials' of RAF aircraft.[10] [11] [12]

2023 Sudan conflict
See also: Evacuation of foreign nationals during the 2023 Sudan conflict

During the 2023 Sudan conflict, the base became a hub of evacuation efforts for foreign citizens, which led to the facility being used for landing and takeoff by foreign militaries as well as a gathering point for foreign evacuees and their dependents.

From the night of April 22-23, 2023, an airlift was set up by the French army during Operation Sagittaire. A C-130 Hercules arriving from Djibouti landed with night vision binoculars in the air base; the French commandos on board secured the base after negotiations with the Sudanese military. Three A400M Atlas also followed from Djibouti and evacuated French and foreign nationals.[13]

As part of the evacuation of British nationals from Sudan, elements of the British Armed Forces arrived at the airfield, with agreement of the Sudanese government, to conduct an airlift evacuation using RAF Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, Lockheed C-130 Hercules and Airbus A400M Atlas aircraft.[14] The Spanish, Dutch and German air forces also deployed transport planes for their nationals. However, senior German officials accused the British of causing delays in rescue efforts, telling the BBC that British forces landed without the SAF's permission at the airbase, which angered the Sudanese army that they refused access to the facility. According to one source, the British had to pay the SAF to allow them access, which resulted in at least half a day's delay for German rescuers. The UK Ministry of Defence denied these reports, calling them "complete nonsense".[15]

On 21 May 2023, residents in Khartoum said heavy fighting occurred as the RSF tried to advance towards the airbase. RSF fighters in about 20 trucks positioned east of the Nile were trying to cross a bridge to reach the airfield, but were met by heavy artillery from the SAF.[16]

See also

References
  1. Google Map - Wadi Seidna AB
  2. "Wadi Seidna AB". Falling Rain. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  3. Sophie Pedder (3 May 2023). "How France led the evacuation of foreigners from Khartoum<". The Economist. Retrieved 4 May 2023..
  4. https://www.flintshirewarmemorials.com/memorials/hawarden-memorial/hawarden-ww2-servicemen/rixham-oliver/
  5. https://www.aircrew.org.uk/News/Chiltern/Chiltern_Mar15.pdf
  6. Royal Air Force (1944-06-30). "Index card for file for 114 Maintenance Unit, formed at Wadi Seidna (Egypt) April 1942; [disbanded February 1943] (AIR 29/1043)". The National Archives (United Kingdom).
  7. "No. 115 (Transport) Wing". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  8. "The Royal Air Force at Khartoum – The Melik Society". www.melik.org.uk. Retrieved 2022-09-03.
  9. "Khartoum VOR". Our Airports. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  10. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C754312
  11. https://www.the-hug.org/opus2244.html
  12. https://www.rafanddfsa.co.uk/Graham%20Kennedy.pdf
  13. "How France led the evacuation of foreigners from Khartoum<". The Economist. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  14. "UK troops fly to Sudan as government works on evacuation plan for Britons". Sky News. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  15. Hill, Jenny. "Sudan crisis: UK accused of delaying German evacuation efforts". BBC. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  16. Salih, Zeinab Mohammed (2023-05-21). "Sudan conflict: Army fights to keep Wadi Saeedna airbase, residents say". BBC. Retrieved 2023-05-22.


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