Ovda Airbase & International Airport

Israel / Hadarom / Elat /
 military airbase, Israel Defense Forces (IDF), international airport
Ovda (Uvda / Ouvda) is a new airbase built by the United States for the IAF as a replacement for Etzion AB. In September of 1978 Israeli and Egyptian negotiators met with US President Jimmy Carter at Camp David to negotiate the terms of peace. An agreement was signed in March of 1979 which called for the phased withdrawal of all Israeli troops for the Sinai by 1982. The Camp David Accords were matched by American pledges for security assistance for both Israel and Egypt totaling nearly $3 billion.

Located north west of Eilat, in the southern Negev region near the Jordanian border, it opened 1981 and was designated IAFB #10. The facility consists of two parallel runways, 2,600 meters and 3,000 meters long. The civil area was at the shorter runway, while the military area was at the longer runway. Initially a dual use facility, civil operations ended when it was agreed that Aqaba International Airport in Jordan could be used to serve passengers for Eilat, which only has a relatively small aerodrome, under the International Peace Airport accord.

However, civilian use of the smaller western part was resumed when (1988) it was later desired to provide an airport for wide-bodied long-haul international airliners, such as the Boeing-747 Jumbo, which were too large for the runways at either Aquaba or Eilat. The airport is expected to cease civilian operations by 2014 when Eilat's new Timna International Airport is expected to become operational.

Order of Battle:
- 115th Sqdrn. "Flying Dragon" equipped with F-16 A/B
- 161st Sqdrn. "First Attack" equipped with AH-1 "Cobra"
- IAF Ground Personnel School
- IAF Officer's School

www.iaf.org.il/2570-30206-en/IAF.aspx
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovda_International_Airport
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   29°56'14"N   34°56'0"E

Comments

  • I was working on Kibbutz Sde Bokker in 2000 and heard sonic booms overhead every day, probably from pilots training in their jets. The sound is tremendous, it must be heard to be understood.
  • Sde Boker is far from that Air Base - it was probably jets from Hatzerim Air Force Base
This article was last modified 4 years ago