page_title: Phan Rang Air Base
section_title: RVNAF use of Phan Rang Air Base
hierarchical_section_title: Phan Rang Air Base / RVNAF use of Phan Rang Air Base
caption_attribution_description: A Cessna A-37B Dragonfly of the 5548th Fighter Squadron of the South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF), at Phan Rang Air Base.
context_page_description: Phan Rang Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force military airfield in Vietnam. It is located 5.2 miles north-northwest of Phan Rang – Tháp Chàm in Ninh Thuận Province.
  Initially built by the Imperial Japanese Army about 1942, the airfield was also used by the French Air Force during the First Indochina War then abandoned in 1954. The United States rebuilt the airfield in 1965 and it was used by the Republic of Vietnam Air Force and the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War in the II Corps Tactical Zone of South Vietnam.
  It was seized by the People's Army of Vietnam in April 1975 and has been in use by the VPAF ever since.
context_section_description: The base was progressively handed over to the RVNAF in March-May 1972. After the American withdrawal the RVNAF 92d Tactical Wing at Nha Trang AB moved to Phan Rang Air, operating A-37s and UH-1 helicopters.
  In addition to the operational missions, the RVNAF 920th Training Squadron operated T-37Bs for initial jet training for its aviation cadets. American policy in Vietnam after 1970 was aimed at self-sufficiency for the RVNAF so the South Vietnamese could maintain the level of security that had been won jointly by the United States and South Vietnam. The United States would continue to provide material support for the defense of South Vietnam, but it was expected that the RVNAF would have the capability to use United States equipment effectively. If that capability could be developed, the RVNAF would be judged self-sufficient.
  However, this training had to be halted in June 1974 for lack of logistic support and financial reasons due to United States aid reduction.
  Units at Phan Rang Air Base were under the command of the RVNAF 2d Air Division at Nha Trang AB.
  92d Tactical Wing
  524th/534th/548th Fighter Squadron A-37
  Det D 259th Helicopter Squadron UH-1H (Medevac)
  On 15 September 1974 a hijacker took control of an Air Vietnam Boeing 727-121C on a flight from Da Nang to Saigon and demanded to be flown to Hanoi. The crew attempted to land at the base, overshot the landing and then crashed while turning to make another approach killing all 75 onboard.
caption: A-37B of the RVNAF 548th Fighter Squadron
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