King Abdulaziz Air Base

King Abdulaziz Air Base is a Royal Saudi Air Force Air Base located near to Dhahran in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

Civilian
The airport terminal building is one of the architectural works of Minoru Yamasaki, and was completed in 1961. The architecture is a blending of traditional Islamic forms with modern technology. For example the flight control tower has the appearance of a minaret. Images of the terminal have been used on Saudi banknotes and is viewed as having influenced the design of a number of important buildings throughout the Middle East.

In 1999, after the opening of the King Fahd International Airport, all scheduled flights were shifted out of Dhahran International Airport.

Military
Between 1963 and 1999 the base was called Dhahran Air Base.

Between 17 September 1963 and 20 November 1963 the United States Air Force's 524th Tactical Fighter Squadron was deployed here with North American F-100 Super Sabre's.

The Gulf War
During Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1991, the U.S. 101st Airborne Division had their base setup at the airport.

A detachment of Royal Air Force Panavia Tornado GR1's from No. 31 Squadron RAF were based here during January 1991.

1990s
During October 1994 the 23d Wing's (Flying Tigers) 75th Fighter Squadron (Tigersharks) and its full complement of Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt IIs initially deployed from Pope AFB, North Carolina to Dhahran Air Base, Saudi Arabia, followed by the first forward deployment to Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait.

During 1999 the base was renamed to King Abdulaziz Air Base.

Current use
Dhahran International Airport has been transformed into a military airbase. It has been renamed King Abdulaziz Air Base and serves the purposes of the Royal Saudi Air Force. There are also a couple of VIP airlines that operate out of DHA. Aviation link company operates one A319 and B777-200. There is also nexus flight operations that operates one A319.


 * RSAF 3 Wing:
 * No. 13 Squadron RSAF with the McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagle and the F-15D
 * No. 92 Squadron RSAF with the McDonnell Douglas F-15S Strike Eagle
 * No. 44 Squadron RSAF with the Bell 412EP
 * RSAF 11 Wing:
 * No. 7 Squadron RSAF with the Panavia Tornado IDS
 * No. 35 Squadron RSAF with the British Aerospace Jetstream 31
 * No. 75 Squadron RSAF with the Tornado IDS
 * No. 83 Squadron RSAF with the Tornado IDS