Kirkuk Air Base

The Al Hurriya Air Base is a military airbase located near Kirkuk, Iraq.

Since 2003 used by the U.S. Air Force as a military airport, it was handed to the Iraqi Army in November 2011. In 2012, the Iraqi Transportation Ministry decided to move the military section to another location, a prerequisite for turning the air base into a civilian airport.

General information
Kirkuk Regional Air Base was home to the 506th Air Expeditionary Group. The group maintained base security, conducts safe flying operations and actively supported base agencies in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and other U.S. Air Forces Central and U.S. Central Command contingency plans.

Approximately 1,000 active-duty, Reserve and Guard Airmen were assigned to the 506th AEG during any given Air Expeditionary Force rotation. Additionally, approximately 5,000 soldiers are assigned to the installation, commonly known as Forward Operating Base Warrior. As of July 2011, the majority of these soldiers were assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, U.S. 1st Infantry Division, and the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division.

Among the base agencies the 506th AEG actively supports is the Kirkuk Provincial Reconstruction Team, or PRT.

Hurriah Airbase has been bombed in Operation Sultan 10 during Iran-Iraq war.

Units
The six squadrons that comprised the 506th AEG are the 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, 506th Expeditionary Communications Squadron, 506th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, 506th Expeditionary Medical Squadron, 506th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron and 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron.

The Coalition Air Force Training Team’s 52d Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron and 521st Air Expeditionary Advisor Squadron were also based at Kirkuk Regional Air Base. The 52 EFTS trained, educated and advised professional Iraqi Airmen in order to build the institutional capacity to conduct credible fixed and rotary wing flight training for the Iraqi Air Force.

Organization
The 506th AEG was the most forward deployed Air Force Group in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The heritage of the 506th AEG is tied to the famous 506th Fighter Group of World War II.

Location
Kirkuk RAB lies in northeastern region of Iraq in the outskirts of the city of Kirkuk, one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country. Kirkuk is approximately 180 mi north of Baghdad.