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Shayrat Airbase is home to the
On 6 April 2017, on the orders from
Syrian Air Force
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, mascot =
, anniversaries = 16 October
, equipment =
, equipment_label =
, battles = * 1948 Arab-Israeli War
* Six-Day War
* Yom Kippur War
* ...
50th Air Brigade located in Homs. It has two runways and around 40 hardened aircraft shelter
A hardened aircraft shelter (HAS) or protective aircraft shelter (PAS) is a reinforced hangar to house and protect military aircraft from enemy attack. Cost considerations and building practicalities limit their use to fighter size aircraft.
...
s.
Squadrons
The brigade consists of three fighter squadrons: * 675th Fighter Squadron ( MIG-23s) * 677th Fighter Squadron ( SU-22s) * 685th Fighter Squadron (SU-22s) According to the Trump administration, the base is also believed to contain a chemical weapons storage depot.History
The airbase was originally constructed in the 1960s. The Russian Air Force also uses the facility. In 2015, Russia expanded the runways in order to accommodate Russian aircraft. In February 2016, the Russian military doubled the number of attack helicopters stationed at Shayrat. Jane's reports that there were "four RussianMi-35
The Soviet and later Russian Mil Mi-24 helicopter has been produced in many variants, as described below.
History
In 1966, Soviet aircraft designer Mikhail Mil created a mock-up design of a new helicopter (derived from the Mil Mi-8) which was ...
helicopters, four Mi-24s, and one Mi-8
The Mil Mi-8 (russian: Ми-8, NATO reporting name: Hip) is a medium twin-turbine helicopter, originally designed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s and introduced into the Soviet Air Force in 1968.
It is now produced by Russia.
In addition t ...
/17." This deployment was in addition to a previous deployment of four Mi-24s in November 2015. In addition to Air Force assets, " Russia's 120th Artillery Brigade with six 152 mm 2A65 Msta-B towed howitzers had taken up position at a Syrian Arab Army
" (''Guardians of the Homeland'')
, colors = * Service uniform: Khaki, Olive
* Combat uniform: Green, Black, Khaki
, anniversaries = August 1st
, equipment =
, equipment_label =
, battles = 1948 Arab–Israeli War
Six-D ...
(SAA) base just to the south of the airbase."
According to ''Defense & Foreign Affairs Strategic Policy'', the Russian Air Force "use the al-Shayrat Air Base as a transit hub and an entry point for military supplies for the Syrian military, thus reducing the congestion in Khmeimim," as well as operating forward refueling and rearming services for Russian aircraft supporting the Syrian Army. The journal also reported that the Iranian Air Force * Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
, patron =
, motto = , "Skyhigh is my place"
, colours = Ultramarine blue
, colours_label =
, march ...
also extensively utilize the facilities.
2017 U.S. Navy missile strike
On 6 April 2017, on the orders from U.S. President
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
, USS ''Ross'' and USS ''Porter'' (both based in the Mediterranean) fired 60 Tomahawk missiles at Shayrat airfield, with 59 reaching the base, according to the CBS Evening News, in response to a suspected chemical attack in the town of Khan Shaykhun
Khan Shaykhun ( ar, خَان شَيْخُون, Ḵān Šayḵūn), sometimes spelled Khan Sheikhoun or Khan Shikhoun, is a town in the Maarrat al-Nu'man District, within the southern Idlib Governorate of northwestern Syria.
Khan Shaykhun is locate ...
in the Idlib Province. The attack on Khan Sheikhoun is believed to have been launched from Shayrat. The United States had reportedly notified Russia, Syria's biggest ally, prior to the strike.
References
{{Portal bar, Asia, Aviation Syrian Air Force bases Military installations of Syria Buildings and structures in Homs Governorate