Al Dhafra Air Base

Al Dhafra Air Base is a military installation located approximately 30 kilometers south of Abu Dhabi city in the United Arab Emirates. It serves as a joint base hosting both the UAE Air Force and a significant United States Air Forces Central Command (AFCENT) presence, making it one of the most strategically important military airfields in the Middle East. The base is home to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing of the US Air Force and has supported numerous operations across the region, including missions over Afghanistan and Iraq. It hosts advanced aircraft such as F-35s, F-22s, KC-10 tankers, and reconnaissance platforms. The facility also serves as an important hub for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations. Al Dhafra is not a commercial airport and does not serve scheduled civilian passenger traffic, though it holds IATA code DHF and ICAO code OMAM for operational and flight planning purposes. Access to the base is strictly controlled and restricted to authorized military and government personnel.