List of United States Air Force installations
United States Air Forces Central
Table:
Name

Location

Coordinates

Unit Emblem

Unit Designation

Notes/Mission

Al Dhafra Air Base

United Arab Emirates

24°14′53″N 054°32′51″E﻿ / ﻿24.24806°N 54.54750°E﻿ / 24.24806; 54.54750﻿ (Al Dhafra AB)

380th Air Expeditionary Wing
363d Flying Training Group (ACC)

Primary AFCENT Deployment Base. Performs intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and aerial refueling in support of Operations New Dawn and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. The attached 9th Air Force 363d Flying Training Group facilitates the flying training of airmen from various nations.[128][129]

Al Udeid Air Base

Qatar

25°07′02″N 051°18′53″E﻿ / ﻿25.11722°N 51.31472°E﻿ / 25.11722; 51.31472﻿ (Al Udeid AB)

379th Air Expeditionary Wing
64th Air Expeditionary Group

Primary AFCENT Deployment Base. Provides combat airpower and combat support for Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and through support of the Joint Task Force Horn of Africa. 64th AEG providings integrated defense, emergency response, and combat support for the base. Al Udeid is the forward Headquarters of the United States Central Command, as well as the 83d Expeditionary Air Group of the Royal Air Force. The base is frequently used as a staging base for air units that are transferring into Iraq,[130]

Ali Al Salem Air Base

Kuwait

29°20′48″N 047°31′14″E﻿ / ﻿29.34667°N 47.52056°E﻿ / 29.34667; 47.52056﻿ (Ali Al Salem AB)

386th Air Expeditionary Wing
387th Air Expeditionary Operations Group

Primary AFCENT Deployment Base. Primary tactical airlift hub for re-supply missions supporting Coalition operations in Iraq and providing combat service support to land component forces throughout the Persian Gulf Region and Iraq. 387th AEOG provides base operating support-integration for Coalition forces and civilian contractors.[131]

Bagram Airfield

Afghanistan

34°56′46″N 069°15′54″E﻿ / ﻿34.94611°N 69.26500°E﻿ / 34.94611; 69.26500﻿ (Bagram AFLD)

455th Air Expeditionary Wing
755th Air Expeditionary Group

Provides the International Security Assistance Force with responsive airpower as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. First constructed during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, but it has since been greatly improved. The United States has spent more than $200 million improving Bagram, and the base now includes shops, restaurants, recreational complexes, and housing for thousands of personnel.[132]

Kabul International Airport

Afghanistan

34°33′56″N 069°12′39″E﻿ / ﻿34.56556°N 69.21083°E﻿ / 34.56556; 69.21083﻿ (Kabul IAP)

438th Air Expeditionary Wing
438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group

Provides the International Security Assistance Force with responsive airpower as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.[133]

Kandahar Airfield

Afghanistan

31°30′21″N 065°50′52″E﻿ / ﻿31.50583°N 65.84778°E﻿ / 31.50583; 65.84778﻿ (Kandahar AFLD)

451st Air Expeditionary Group
651st Air Expeditionary Group
738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group

Provides the International Security Assistance Force with responsive airpower as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. 738th AEAG is a detached component of the 438th AEW at Kabul IAP[133][134]

Sheik Isa Air Base

Bahrain

25°55′05″N 50°35′26″E﻿ / ﻿25.91806°N 50.59056°E﻿ / 25.91806; 50.59056﻿ (Sheik Isa AB)

Detachment of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing

Logistical hub.

Shindand Air Base

Afghanistan

33°23′28.79″N 62°15′39.51″E﻿ / ﻿33.3913306°N 62.2609750°E﻿ / 33.3913306; 62.2609750﻿ (Shindand AB)

838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group

Being developed into a major flying training base for the Afghanistan Air Force. 838th AEAG is a detached component of the 438th AEW at Kabul IAP[133][135]

RAFO Thumrait

Oman

17°39′56″N 54°01′28″E﻿ / ﻿17.66556°N 54.02444°E﻿ / 17.66556; 54.02444﻿ (RAFO Thumrait)

405th Air Expeditionary Wing

Primary AFCENT Deployment Base. Air Refueling operations

Transit Center at Manas (Closed 2014)

Kyrgyzstan

43°03′01″N 074°28′10″E﻿ / ﻿43.05028°N 74.46944°E﻿ / 43.05028; 74.46944﻿ (Manas TS)

376th Air Expeditionary Wing

As its name suggests, the base is the main transit point for troops leaving and entering Afghanistan and is known to many soldiers as "The Gateway to Hell." The site is equipped with comforts, including video games, internet cafes, and wireless internet.[136]

Based on the provided table as well as the article excerpts provided at the end.

Respond to the question below: Which countries share borders with the country containing Ali Al Salem Air Base ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}.

Al Dhafra Air Base ( Arabic : قاعدة الظفرة الجوية ) ( IATA : DHF , ICAO : OMAM ) is a military installation in the United Arab Emirates . The base is located approximately 20 mi ( 32 km ) south of Abu Dhabi and is operated by the United Arab Emirates Air Force .
The United Arab Emirates ( UAE ; Arabic : الإمارات العربية المتحدة al-ʾImārāt al-ʿArabīyyah al-Muttaḥidah ) , sometimes simply called the Emirates ( Arabic : الإمارات al-ʾImārāt ) , is a country in Western Asia at the northeast end of the Arabian Peninsula on the Persian Gulf , bordering Oman to the east and Saudi Arabia to the south and west , as well as sharing maritime borders with Qatar to the west and Iran to the north . The sovereign constitutional monarchy is a federation of seven emirates consisting of Abu Dhabi ( which serves as the capital ) , Ajman , Dubai , Fujairah , Ras Al Khaimah , Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain . Their boundaries are complex , with numerous enclaves within the various emirates . Each emirate is governed by a ruler ; together , they jointly form the Federal Supreme Council . One of the rulers serves as the President of the United Arab Emirates . In 2013 , the UAE 's population was 9.2 million , of which 1.4 million are Emirati citizens and 7.8 million are expatriates . Human occupation of the present UAE has been traced back to the emergence of anatomically modern humans from Africa some 125,000 BCE through finds at the Faya-1 site in Mleiha , Sharjah . Burial sites dating back to the Neolithic Age and the Bronze Age include the oldest known such inland site at Jebel Buhais . Known as Magan to the Sumerians , the area was home to a prosperous Bronze Age trading culture during the Umm Al Nar period , which traded between the Indus Valley , Bahrain and Mesopotamia as well as Iran , Bactria and the Levant . The ensuing Wadi Suq period and three Iron Ages saw the emergence of nomadism as well as the development of water management and irrigation systems supporting human settlement in both the coast and interior . The Islamic age of the UAE dates back to the expulsion of the Sasanians and the subsequent Battle of Dibba . The UAE 's long history of trade led to the emergence of Julfar , in the present-day emirate of Ras Al Khaimah , as a major regional trading and maritime hub in the area .
The 380th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional unit of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command ( ACC ) . It is attached to the United States Air Forces Central Command component of ACC and is stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base , United Arab Emirates . About 1,200 active duty military members , Reserve , and Air National Guard personnel make up the Wing . Aircraft assigned : McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extenders , Lockheed U-2 Dragon Ladies , Boeing E-3 Sentry ( AWACS ) and Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk . Its mission is aerial refueling and reconnaissance . The Wing 's origins date to 1942 when the 380th Bombardment Group was established . It operated primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater as a Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber unit assigned to Fifth Air Force . Active for over 40 years , the 380th Bombardment Wing was a component organization of Strategic Air Command 's deterrent force during the Cold War , as a strategic bombardment wing .
The 363d Intelligence , Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing ( 363 ISRW ) is a United States Air Force unit . The group is assigned to the United States Air Force Sixteenth Air Force , stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis , Virginia . The mission of the wing is content-dominant multi-intelligence analysis and targeting for five distinct mission sets : Air Defenses , Counter-Space , Counter-ISR , Theater Ballistic Missile/Cruise Missile Threat , and Air Threat In a ceremony on 11 July 2011 , the group was inactivated and replaced by the AFCENT Air Warfare Center . On 13 February 2015 , the 363 FTG was redesignated as the 363d Intelligence , Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing . The wing activated on 17 February 2015 .
The Ninth Air Force ( 9 AF ) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force 's Air Combat Command ( ACC ) . It has been headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base , South Carolina , since activation on 5 August 2009 . From 1990 , units were deployed to the Middle East against Iraq , and from 2001 against threats emanating from Afghanistan . This prior Ninth Air Force is now known as United States Air Forces Central ( USAFCENT ) . Until August 2009 , the Ninth Air Force shared its commander with USAFCENT . In a complicated transfer of lineage , the Second World War-and-after heritage of the Ninth Air Force was bestowed solely on United States Air Forces Central , and a new Ninth Air Force , was activated on the U.S. East Coast , where it is responsible for a variety of Air Combat Command units .
Al Udeid Air Base ( Arabic : قاعدة العديد الجوية ) is a military base southwest of Doha , Qatar , also known as Abu Nakhlah Airport ( مطار أبو نخلة ) . It houses Qatar Air Force , United States Air Force , Royal Air Force , and other Gulf War Coalition personnel and assets . It is host to a forward headquarters of United States Central Command , headquarters of United States Air Forces Central Command , No . 83 Expeditionary Air Group RAF , and the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing of the USAF . In 1999 , the then Emir of Qatar , Sheikh Hamad , told U.S. officials that he would like to see as many as 10,000 U.S. servicemen permanently stationed at Al Udeid . According to media reports in June 2017 , the base hosted over 11,000 U.S. and U.S.-led anti-ISIL coalition forces and over 100 operational aircraft .
Qatar ( /ˈkætɑːr/ , /ˈkɑːtɑːr/ ( listen ) , /ˈkɑːtər/ or /kəˈtɑːr/ ( listen ) ; Arabic : قطر Qaṭar [ ˈqɑtˤɑr ] ; local vernacular pronunciation : [ ˈɡɪtˤɑr ] ) , officially the State of Qatar ( Arabic : دولة قطر Dawlat Qaṭar ) , is a country located in Western Asia , occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula . Whether the sovereign state should be regarded as a constitutional monarchy or an absolute monarchy is disputed . Its sole land border is with neighbouring Gulf Cooperation Council ( GCC ) monarchy Saudi Arabia to the south , with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf . The Gulf of Bahrain , an inlet of the Persian Gulf , separates Qatar from nearby Bahrain . In early 2017 , Qatar 's total population was 2.6 million : 313,000 Qatari citizens and 2.3 million expatriates . Islam is the official religion of Qatar . The country has the highest per capita income in the world . Qatar is classified by the UN as a country of very high human development and is widely regarded as the most advanced Arab state for human development . Qatar is a high-income economy , backed by the world 's third-largest natural gas reserves and oil reserves . Qatar has been ruled by the House of Thani since Mohammed bin Thani signed a treaty with the British in 1868 that recognised its separate status . Following Ottoman rule , Qatar became a British protectorate in the early 20th century until gaining independence in 1971 . In 2003 , the constitution was overwhelmingly approved in a referendum , with almost 98% in favour .
The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command . As a provisional unit , it may be activated or inactivated at any time . The Wing is one of the largest , most diverse expeditionary wings in the Air Force , providing combat airpower and support for the Global War on Terrorism in Operation Iraqi Freedom , Operation Enduring Freedom , Operation New Dawn , Operation Odyssey Dawn and through support of Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa . The wing and its associate units operate more than 100 aircraft , making the base a large hub for humanitarian airlift activity while providing mission-essential combat power , aeromedical evacuation and intelligence support for three theaters of operations . During World War II , the Wing 's predecessor unit , the 379th Bombardment Group was a VIII Bomber Command B-17 Flying Fortress unit in England . Assigned to RAF Kimbolton in early 1943 , the group flew more sorties than any other bomb group in the Eighth Air Force , and dropped a greater bomb tonnage than any other group . The combat record of the 379th was the most successful of all the Eighth Air Force heavy bomber groups , receiving two Distinguished Unit Citations . Active for over 50 years , the 379th Bombardment Wing was a component organization of Strategic Air Command 's deterrent force during the Cold War , as a strategic bombardment wing .
The 64th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force , most recently assigned to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing at Eskan Village , near Riyadh , Saudi Arabia . It was inactivated in 2014 . The group was first activated prior to World War II as the 64th Transport Group During World War II the group engaged in combat operations , primarily with Twelfth Air Force during the war , earning a Distinguished Unit Citation .
The United States Central Command ( USCENTCOM or CENTCOM ) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense . It was established in 1983 , taking over the previous responsibilities of the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force ( RDJTF ) . The CENTCOM Area of Responsibility includes the Middle East , including Egypt in Africa , and Central Asia , most notably Afghanistan and Iraq . The command has been the main American presence in many military operations , including the Persian Gulf War 's Operation Desert Storm in 1991 , the War in Afghanistan , and the Iraq War from 2003 to 2011 . As of 2015 [ update ] , CENTCOM forces are deployed primarily in Afghanistan under the auspices of Operation Freedom 's Sentinel , which is itself part of NATO 's Resolute Support Mission ( from 2015 to the present ) , and in Iraq and Syria as part of Operation Inherent Resolve since 2014 in supporting and advise-and-assist roles . As of 28 March 2019 [ update ] , CENTCOM 's commander is General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. , U.S. Marine Corps . Of all six American regional unified combatant commands , CENTCOM is among the three with headquarters outside its area of operations ( the other two being USAFRICOM and USSOUTHCOM ) . CENTCOM 's main headquarters is located at MacDill Air Force Base , in Tampa , Florida . A forward headquarters was established in 2002 at Camp As Sayliyah in Doha , Qatar , which in 2009 transitioned to a forward headquarters at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar .
The Royal Air Force ( RAF ) is the United Kingdom 's aerial warfare force . It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918 . Following victory over the Central Powers in 1918 the RAF emerged as , at the time , the largest air force in the world . Since its formation , the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history . In particular , it played a large part in the Second World War where it fought its most famous campaign , the Battle of Britain . The RAF 's mission is to support the objectives of the British Ministry of Defence ( MoD ) , which are to provide the capabilities needed to ensure the security and defence of the United Kingdom and overseas territories , including against terrorism ; to support the Government 's foreign policy objectives particularly in promoting international peace and security . The RAF describes its mission statement as . [ to provide ] an agile , adaptable and capable Air Force that , person for person , is second to none , and that makes a decisive air power contribution in support of the UK Defence Mission . The mission statement is supported by the RAF 's definition of air power , which guides its strategy . Air power is defined as the ability to project power from the air and space to influence the behaviour of people or the course of events . Today the Royal Air Force maintains an operational fleet of various types of aircraft , described by the RAF as being leading-edge in terms of technology . This largely consists of fixed-wing aircraft , including : fighter and strike aircraft , airborne early warning and control aircraft , ISTAR and SIGINT aircraft , aerial refueling aircraft and strategic and tactical transport aircraft .
Ali Al Salem Air Base ( ICAO : OKAS ) is a military air base situated in Kuwait , approximately 23 miles from the Iraqi border . The airfield is owned by the Government of Kuwait , and during Operation Southern Watch , Operation Iraqi Freedom , Royal Air Force ( RAF ) during Operation Telic , United States Air Force ( USAF ) , and United States Marine Corps ( USMC ) personnel and aircraft . Since those operations , the base has been returned to the control of the Kuwaiti Government , with the USAF continuing to maintain a presence alongside their Kuwait Air Force counterparts . The principal USAF unit on base is the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing ( 386 AEW ) .
Kuwait ( /kʊˈweɪt/ ( listen ) ; Arabic : الكويت al-Kuwait , Gulf Arabic pronunciation : [ ɪl‿ɪkweːt ] or [ lɪkweːt ] ) , officially the State of Kuwait ( Arabic : دولة الكويت Dawlat al-Kuwait ) , is a country in Western Asia . Situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf , it shares borders with Iraq and Saudi Arabia . As of 2016 [ update ] , Kuwait has a population of 4.5 million people : 1.3 million are Kuwaitis and 3.2 million are expatriates . Expatriates account for approximately 70% of the population . Oil reserves were discovered in commercial quantities in 1938 . In 1946 , crude oil was exported for the first time . From 1946 to 1982 , the country underwent large-scale modernization . In the 1980s , Kuwait experienced a period of geopolitical instability and an economic crisis following the stock market crash . In 1990 , Kuwait was invaded , and later annexed , by Saddam 's Iraq . The Iraqi occupation of Kuwait came to an end in 1991 after military intervention by a military coalition led by the United States . Kuwait is a major non-NATO ally of the United States . It is also a major ally of ASEAN , while maintaining a strong relationship with China .
The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing ( 386 AEW ) is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to United States Air Forces Central . As a provisional unit , it may be activated or inactivated at any time . It is currently stationed at Ali Al Salem Air Base , Kuwait in Southwest Asia . During World War II , the group 's predecessor unit , the 386th Bombardment Group ( Medium ) was a B-26 Marauder bombardment group assigned to the Eighth and later Ninth Air Force . During the Battle of Normandy , it supported Allied forces at Caen , and participated in the massive blows against the enemy at Saint-Lô on 25 July 1944 . Knocked out targets to help clear the Falaise pocket of German forces in August 1944 and hit strong points at Brest during September .
The 387th Air Expeditionary Group ( 387 AEG ) is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing at Ali Al Salem Air Base , Kuwait under United States Air Forces Central Command ( USAFCENT ) . As a provisional unit , it may be activated or inactivated at any time . In 2016 , the groups mission was to provide support for base operations , coordination with host nation partners , and administration of the Joint Expeditionary Tasked individual augmentees in the United States Central Command ( USCENTCOM ) area of responsibility . During World War II , the group 's predecessor unit , the 387th Bombardment Group ( Medium ) was a Martin B-26 Marauder bombardment group assigned to the Eighth and later Ninth Air Force in Western Europe .
Bagram Airfield-BAF also known as Bagram Air Base ( IATA : OAI , ICAO : OAIX ) is the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan . It is located next to the ancient city of Bagram , 11 kilometres ( 6.8 mi ) southeast of Charikar in the Parwan Province of Afghanistan . It has a dual runway capable of handling large military aircraft , including the Lockheed Martin C-5 Galaxy and Antonov An-225 . Bagram Air Base is occupied by the Afghan Armed Forces and the US-led Resolute Support Mission . Bagram Airfield is currently maintained by the Combined Joint Task Force 1st Cavalry Division ( CJTF-1 ) , having taken over from the 10th Mountain Division in the summer of 2016 . It is also maintained by the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade ( Task Force Pale Horse ) and 3-10 GSAB ( Task Force Phoenix ) of the U.S. Army , with the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing of the U.S. Air Force and other U.S. Army , U.S. Navy , U.S. Marine Corps , U.S. Coast Guard , and ISAF units having sizable tenant populations . In addition , the U.S. government regional platform for the east is at the base , staffed by civilians . The ICAO ID is OAIX and it is specifically at 34.944N , 69.259E at 1,492 metres ( 4,895 ft ) above sea level . One of Bagram 's runways is 3,003 metres ( 9,852 ft ) long and the other is 3,500 metres ( 11,500 ft ) long , which was built and completed by the United States in late 2006 . There are a number of large hangars , a control tower , numerous support buildings , and various housing areas . There are also more than 32 acres ( 130,000 m² ) of ramp space and five aircraft dispersal areas , with over 110 revetments . Many support buildings and base housing built by the Soviet Armed Forces during their occupation were destroyed by years of fighting between various warring Afghan factions after the Soviets left .
Afghanistan ( /æfˈɡænɪstæn , æfˈɡɑːnɪstɑːn/ ( listen ) ; Pashto/Dari : افغانستان , Pashto : Afġānistān [ avɣɒnisˈtɒn , ab- ] , [ a ] Dari : Afġānestān [ avɣɒnesˈtɒn ] ) , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan , is a landlocked country in Asia . Afghanistan is bordered by Pakistan to the east and south ; [ b ] Iran to the west ; Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan , and Tajikistan to the north ; and China to the northeast . Occupying 652,000 square kilometers ( 252,000 sq mi ) , it is a mountainous country with plains in the north and southwest . Kabul is the capital and largest city . The population is 32 million , mostly composed of ethnic Pashtuns , Tajiks , Hazaras and Uzbeks . Human habitation in Afghanistan dates back to the Middle Paleolithic Era , and the country 's strategic location along the Silk Road connected it to the cultures of the Middle East and other parts of Asia . The land has historically been home to various peoples and has witnessed numerous military campaigns , including those by Alexander the Great , Mauryas , Muslim Arabs , Mongols , British , Soviets , and by the United States with allied countries . The land also served as the source from which the Kushans , Hephthalites , Samanids , Saffarids , Ghaznavids , Ghorids , Khaljis , Mughals , Hotaks , Durranis , and others have risen to form major empires . The political history of the modern state of Afghanistan began with the Hotak and Durrani dynasties in the 18th century . In the late 19th century , Afghanistan became a buffer state in the Great Game between British India and the Russian Empire . Its border with British India , the Durand Line , was formed in 1893 but it is not recognized by the Afghan government and it has led to strained relations with Pakistan since the latter 's independence in 1947 . Following the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919 the country was free of foreign influence , eventually becoming a monarchy under Amanullah Khan , until almost 50 years later when Zahir Shah was overthrown and a republic was established .
The 455th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force unit located to Bagram Airfield , Afghanistan . It is one of two expeditionary wings in Afghanistan . Most wing personnel are located at the Air Force Village known as Camp Cunningham . The first predecessor of the wing was organized in 1943 as the 455th Bombardment Group . After training in the United States with Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers , the 455th deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations , participating in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany . It earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for its combat operations . Following V-E Day , it remained in Italy without its flight echelon until inactivating in September 1945 . The group was activated in the reserve in 1947 , but apparently was not fully manned or equipped before inactivating in June 1949 and transferring most of its resources to another unit . It was redesignated the 445th Fighter-Day Group and activated in 1956 , but did not become operational before inactivating in July 1957 . The wing 's second predecessor was established in 1953 , but not organized until November 1962 as the 455th Strategic Missile Wing an LGM-30B Minuteman I wing . It was inactivated in June 1968 and transferred its assets to the 91st Strategic Missile Wing . The group and wing were consolidated in 1985 .
Hamid Karzai International Airport ( Pashto : د حامد کرزي نړيوال هوايي ډګر ; Persian : میدان هوائی بین المللی حامدکرزی ; IATA : KBL , ICAO : OAKB ) is located 5 kilometers ( 3.1 mi ) from the city center of Kabul in Afghanistan . It serves as one of the nation 's main international airports and as one of the largest military bases , capable of housing over one hundred aircraft . It was previously named Kabul International Airport and locally as Khwaja Rawash Airport , though it continues to be officially known by some airlines by the latter name . The airport was given its new name in 2014 in honor of former President Hamid Karzai . The decision was made by the National Assembly of Afghanistan and the Cabinet of President Ashraf Ghani . The airport has been expanded and modernized in the last decade . A new international terminal was added and the older terminal is now used for domestic flights . A number of military bases were also built around the airport , which are used by the United States Armed Forces and NATO 's Resolute Support Mission ( RS ) ( formerly International Security Assistance Force , ISAF ) . The Afghan Air Force also has a base there , while the Afghan National Police provide security inside the passenger terminals . As of June 2016 the most frequently serviced destination from the airport was Dubai-International with no fewer than four passenger airlines flying the route , some with multiple daily flights .
The 438th Air Expeditionary Wing ( 438 AEW ) is an active United States Air Force unit operating in Afghanistan and assigned to United States Air Forces Central . The wing trains Afghan Air Force members , including pilots .
The United States Air Force 's 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group ( 438 AEAG ) is assigned to the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing of USAFCENT and is stationed at Kabul Airport , Afghanistan . The 438th Air Expeditionary Group stood up on in November 2008 at Kabul Airport , Afghanistan to train fixed and rotary wing aircrew and maintenance me .
Kandahar International Airport ( Pashto : د کندهار نړيوال هوايي ډګر ; referred to by some as Kandahar Airfield , KAF ) ( IATA : KDH , ICAO : OAKN ) is located about 9 nautical miles ( 17 km ; 10 mi ) south-east of the city Kandahar in Afghanistan . It serves as the nation 's second main international airport and as one of the largest military bases , capable of housing up to 250 aircraft of all types . The airport was designed and built by the United States in the late 1950s . It was occupied by the Soviets during the 1980s Soviet-Afghan War . Following their withdrawal the airport remained in control of Najibullah 's government until he stepped down in 1992 . Thereafter , local warlords and the Taliban took control of the airport until the U.S.-led invasion in late 2001 . It was also the site of the Indian Airlines Flight 814 incident in 1999 . Since 2007 , the airport has been repaired and expanded . Its runway can support all types of aircraft , including a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III or an Antonov An-225 Mriya . The airport is used for both military and civilian flights . The military section of the airport is maintained by the Resolute Support Mission and the Afghan Air Force . The 2nd Wing of the Afghan Air Force ( AAF ) has a separate base within the airport ground .
The 451st Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force USAFCENT unit . It is assigned to Kandahar Airfield and is also the host unit at Kandahar . It reports to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing at Bagram Air Base . The group provides an airpower presence in the Afghanistan area of operations . Its airmen provide intelligence , surveillance and reconnaissance , command and control , remotely piloted aircraft operations , and airborne data link capabilities . During the Cold War , the Strategic Air Command 451st Strategic Missile Wing was the first fully operational HGM-25A Titan I ICBM wing in 1962 . During World War II , the wing 's predecessor unit , the 451st Bombardment Group was a Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment organization , assigned to Fifteenth Air Force in Italy .
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 . It hosts the Royal Bahraini Air Force ( RBAF ) Fighter Wing and the two squadrons that comprise it .
Bahrain ( /bɑːˈreɪn/ ( listen ) ; Arabic : البحرين al-Baḥrayn Arabic pronunciation : [ al baħrajn ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain ( Arabic : مملكة البحرين Mamlakat al-Baḥrayn ) , is a sovereign state in the Persian Gulf . The island nation comprises a small archipelago centered around Bahrain Island , situated between the Qatar peninsula and the north eastern coast of Saudi Arabia , to which it is connected by the 25-kilometre ( 16 mi ) King Fahd Causeway . According to the most recent 2010 census , Bahrain 's population is over 1.2 million , of which around half are non-nationals . At 780 square kilometres ( 300 sq mi ) in size , it is the third-smallest nation in Asia after the Maldives and Singapore . The capital and largest city is Manama . Bahrain is the site of the ancient Dilmun civilization . It has been famed since antiquity for its pearl fisheries , which were considered the best in the world into the 19th century . Bahrain was one of the earliest areas to convert to Islam , in 628 AD . Following a period of Arab rule , Bahrain was occupied by the Portuguese in 1521 , who in turn were expelled in 1602 by Shah Abbas I of the Safavid dynasty under the Persian Empire . In 1783 , the Bani Utbah clan captured Bahrain from Nasr Al-Madhkur and it has since been ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family , with Ahmed al Fateh as Bahrain 's first hakim . In the late 1800s , following successive treaties with the British , Bahrain became a protectorate of the United Kingdom . In 1971 , it declared independence .
Shindand Air Base ( IATA : OAH , ICAO : OASD ) is located in the western part of Afghanistan in the Shindand District of Herat Province , 7 miles northeast of the city of Shindand . The runway has a concrete surface . An all weather asphalt road connects it with the Kandahar-Herat Highway , part of Highway 1 ( the national ring road ) . The base is of great strategic importance being just 75 miles from the border of Iran . It is capable of housing over one hundred military aircraft . It is one of the largest Afghan Air Force bases . For several years , the U.S. Air Force 's 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group operated at the base supporting the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan . The base may also have been used in the past by the Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ) for surveillance missions over western Afghanistan that have included use of the RQ-170 drone . Construction of a perimeter fence at Shindand Air Base tripled the size of the base and included 52 guard towers . Force protection was a major component of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ( USACE ) military construction program in Afghanistan . Shindand also hosts the 3rd Wing of the Afghan Air Force ( AAF ) .
RAFO Thumrait air base ( IATA : TTH , ICAO : OOTH ) is a military airport located near Thumrait , a town in Dhofar Governorate , Oman . The United States Air Force is a major current tenant of Thumrait Air Base .
Oman ( /oʊˈmɑːn/ ( listen ) oh-MAHN ; Arabic : عمان ʻumān [ ʕʊˈmaːn ] ) , officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic : سلطنة عُمان Salṭanat ʻUmān ) , is an Arab country on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia . Its official religion is Islam . Holding a strategically important position at the mouth of the Persian Gulf , the country shares land borders with the United Arab Emirates to the northwest , Saudi Arabia to the west , and Yemen to the southwest , and shares marine borders with Iran and Pakistan . The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the southeast and the Gulf of Oman on the northeast . The Madha and Musandam exclaves are surrounded by the UAE on their land borders , with the Strait of Hormuz ( which it shares with Iran ) and Gulf of Oman forming Musandam 's coastal boundaries . From the late 17th century , the Omani Sultanate was a powerful empire , vying with Portugal and the UK for influence in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean . At its peak in the 19th century , Omani influence or control extended across the Strait of Hormuz to modern-day Iran and Pakistan , and as far south as Zanzibar . When its power declined in the 20th century , the sultanate came under the influence of the United Kingdom . For over 300 years , the relations built between the two empires were based on mutual benefits . The UK recognized Oman 's geographical importance as a trading hub that secured their trade lanes in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean and protected their empire in the Indian sub-continent . Historically , Muscat was the principal trading port of the Persian Gulf region . Muscat was also among the most important trading ports of the Indian Ocean .
The 405th Air Expeditionary Wing ( 405 AEW ) is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command . It may be activated or inactivated at any time . Currently , it is believed that the 405 AEW is inactive .
Transit Center at Manas ( formerly Manas Air Base and unofficially Ganci Air Base ) is a former U.S. military installation at Manas International Airport , near Bishkek , the capital of Kyrgyzstan . It was primarily operated by the U.S. Air Force . The primary unit at the base was the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing . On 3 June 2014 American troops vacated the base and it was handed over back to the Kyrgyzstan military . The base was opened in December 2001 to support U.S. military operations in the ongoing war in Afghanistan . It had hosted forces from several other International Security Assistance Force member states as well . The base was a transit point for U.S. military personnel coming and going from Afghanistan . The base had good recreation facilities for airmen , soldiers , sailors , and Marines ( internet cafes , wireless internet , pool tables , free video games , telephones to DSN lines that allow a coalition forces to call their homes at little or no cost ) . The base had a large dining facility , gymnasium , and a chapel . There was also a library where books and magazines were available for active duty airmen . Several events , such as the shooting of a local civilian and rumors of fuel dumping , had led to strained relations with some of the local population . Powers such as Russia and China had been pushing for the closure of the base since 2005 .
Kyrgyzstan ( /ˌkɜːrɡɪˈstɑːn/ KUR-gih-STAHN ; Kyrgyz : Кыргызстан Kırğızstan Kyrgyz pronunciation : [ qɯrʁɯsˈstɑn ] ) , officially the Kyrgyz Republic ( Kyrgyz : Кыргыз Республикасы , romanized : Kırğız Respublikası ; Russian : Кыргызская Республика , tr . Kyrgyzskaya Respublika ) , and also known as Kirghizia ( Russian : Киргизия [ kʲɪrˈɡʲizʲɪjə ] ) , is a country in Central Asia . Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country with mountainous terrain . It is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north , Uzbekistan to the west and southwest , Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east . Its capital and largest city is Bishkek . Kyrgyzstan 's recorded history spans over 2,000 years , encompassing a variety of cultures and empires . Although geographically isolated by its highly mountainous terrain , which has helped preserve its ancient culture , Kyrgyzstan has been at the crossroads of several great civilizations as part of the Silk Road and other commercial and cultural routes . Though long inhabited by a succession of independent tribes and clans , Kyrgyzstan has periodically fallen under foreign domination and attained sovereignty as a nation-state only after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 . Since independence , the sovereign state has officially been a unitary parliamentary republic , although it continues to endure ethnic conflicts , revolts , economic troubles , transitional governments and political conflict . Kyrgyzstan is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States , the Eurasian Economic Union , the Collective Security Treaty Organization , the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation , the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , the Turkic Council , the Türksoy community and the United Nations . Ethnic Kyrgyz make up the majority of the country 's six million people , followed by significant minorities of Uzbeks and Russians . Kyrgyz is closely related to other Turkic languages , although Russian remains widely spoken and is an official language , a legacy of a century of Russification .
The 376th Air Expeditionary Wing ( 376 AEW ) is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force . It was last stationed at the Transit Center at Manas International Airport , Kyrgyz Republic , supporting U.S. and ISAF operations in Afghanistan . During the Vietnam War , the 376th Strategic Wing was a Strategic Air Command unit activated to perpetuate the lineage of inactive World War II bombardment units with illustrious records . It performed strategic bombing and air refueling missions over Southeast Asia with deployed elements from wings in the United States . From 1973 until the end of the Cold War it performed air refueling of Pacific Air Forces tactical and Military Airlift Command transport aircraft in the Theater as well as performing strategic reconnaissance operations . It was inactivated as part of the drawdown of USAF strategic forces in 1991 .