RAFO Thumrait | |||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Military | ||||||||||
Owner | Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces | ||||||||||
Operator | Royal Air Force of Oman | ||||||||||
Location | Thumrait, Dhofar Governorate, Oman | ||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 1,526 ft / 465 m | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 17°39′57″N054°01′28″E / 17.66583°N 54.02444°E | ||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
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RAFO Thumrait airbase ( IATA : TTH, ICAO : OOTH) is a military airfield located near Thumrait, a town in Dhofar Governorate, Oman. The Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) are the operators of RAFO Thumrait, and is home to two RAFO squadrons of F-16s. The United States Air Force (USAF) is a current tenant, [1] and the British Royal Air Force (RAF) [3] and the Indian Air Force (IAF) also use RAFO Thumrait during regular cross-nation military exercises.
RAFO Thumrait is at an elevation of 1,570 feet (479 metres ) above mean sea level and has one runway (17/35) with an asphalt surface measuring 4,000 by 45 metres (13,123 by 148 feet). [1]
Originally an oil depot, RAFO Thumrait was established to project air power in that region of Oman. The first Omani air unit based at Thumrait, equipped with ex-RAF Hawker Hunter FGA.9 aircraft, was tasked with ground attack and intercept missions. Twelve new SEPECAT Jaguar fighter-bombers were added to the base's complement to improve attack capabilities in 1977.
RAFO Thumrait has been used by American, British, and allied air forces to support operations during operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Desert Fox, and the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021). Many current coalition detachments now operate from Muscat International Airport, which is closer to the area of operations.
A US Air Force War Reserve Materiel (WRM) contract was let to DynCorp Technical Services to provide support for bare base systems, medical, munitions, fuels mobility support equipment, vehicles, rations, aerospace ground equipment, air base operability equipment, and associated spares and other consumables at Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) airbase, Thumrait. These services include maintaining war reserve materiel (WRM) stored at Thumrait. [4] [5]
The US Air Force's 16th Special Operations Wing, 823rd 'Red Horse' Squadron went to RAFO Thumrait on 17 April 1996 for 'Eastern Castle', an exercise with the Omani military. During this exercise, the US Air Force built runway and apron extensions, and installed overhead lighting in the base's aircraft hangars.
Exercise Saif Sareea (Swift Sword} are a series of military exercises between Her Majesty's (UK) Armed Forces and His Majesty the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces. First held in 1987, Saif Sareea is one of several major training exercises held approximately every four years; to deploy, sustain, exercise and recover a medium-scale war-fighting Joint Task Force at strategic distance into a key strategic area and demonstrate the Joint Rapid Reaction Force (J-RRF) concept. [3] [4]
Saif Sareea 2 (Swift Sword 2) was the second iteration, held in Oman between September and November 2001. It involved a combination of His Majesty the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces and Her Majesty's (UK) Armed Forces; with naval, ground and air activities.
On 2 October 2018, the first four of eight Typhoon FGR4 fighter jets II (Army Co-operation) Squadron travelled to RAFO Thumrait from their home base of RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland for Saif Sareea 3. This time, as part of 140 Expeditionary Air Wing (140 EAW), the Typhoons will be supported by an E-3D Sentry AEW1, operated by 8 Squadron, normally based at RAF Waddington in England. According to the official Royal Air Force website, "The Typhoons will fly alongside the Royal Air Force of Oman's F-16 aircraft during the largest tri-service, bilateral, interoperability exercise in the region for almost two decades". [3] Other RAF elements at Thumrait in support of SS3 was 1 Squadron RAF Regiment.
In 2009, Indian Air Force pilots of 'Flaming Arrows' and 'Cobras', two SEPECAT Jaguar Squadrons, participated in joint exercises called 'Eastern Bridge', alongside the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO)'s force of SEPECAT Jaguars and F-16 Fighting Falcons at RAFO Thumrait. Another Indo-Omani exercise, 'Eastern Bridge-II', took place in 2011 at Indian Air Force Station Jamnagar (Gujarat). [6] [7]
The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French supersonic jet attack aircraft originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Air Force in the close air support and nuclear strike role. It is still in service with the Indian Air Force.
Royal Air Force Coningsby or RAF Coningsby, is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located 13.7 kilometres (8.5 mi) south-west of Horncastle, and 15.8 kilometres (9.8 mi) north-west of Boston, in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is a Main Operating Base of the RAF and home to three front-line Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 units, No. 3 Squadron, No. 11 Squadron and No. 12 Squadron. In support of front-line units, No. 29 Squadron is the Typhoon Operational Conversion Unit and No. 41 Squadron is the Typhoon Test and Evaluation Squadron. Coningsby is also the home of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) which operates a variety of historic RAF aircraft.
Number 6 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 at RAF Lossiemouth. It was previously equipped with the SEPECAT Jaguar GR.3 in the close air support and tactical reconnaissance roles, and was posted to RAF Coltishall, Norfolk until April 2006, moving to RAF Coningsby until disbanding for the first time in its history on 31 May 2007. The squadron officially reformed as a Typhoon squadron on 6 September 2010. No. 6 Squadron is unique in having two Royal standards, having been awarded its second one by King Abdullah I of Jordan in October 1950 due to its long period of service in the Middle East.
Royal Air Force Brüggen, more commonly known as RAF Brüggen, in Germany was a Royal Air Force station until 15 June 2001. It was situated next to the village of Elmpt, approximately 43 kilometres (27 mi) west of Düsseldorf on the Dutch–German border. The base was named after the village of Brüggen, the nearest rail depot. Construction began in mid-1952, which involved the clearing of forest and draining of marshland. The station became active in 1953 during the rapid expansion of NATO forces in Europe. The main paint shop situated next to the main runway was responsible for the surface finishing of all aircraft, ground equipment and RAF Regiment Rapier missile systems. In 2002, it was handed over to the British Army and renamed Javelin Barracks.
Number 2 Squadron, also known as No. II Squadron, is the most senior squadron of the Royal Air Force. It is currently equipped with the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 at RAF Lossiemouth, Moray, since reforming there on 12 January 2015.
The Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces are the Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman, Sultan's Special Force and other defense forces of the Sultanate of Oman. Since their formal establishment in the early 1950s, with British assistance SAF has twice overcome insurgencies which have threatened the integrity or social structure of the state, and more recently have contributed contingents or facilities to coalitions formed to protect Arab states of the Persian Gulf.
Royal Air Force Laarbruch, more commonly known as RAF Laarbruch ICAO EDUL was a Royal Air Force station, a military airfield, located in Germany on its border with the Netherlands. The Station's motto was Eine feste Burg.
Thumrait is a small town and wilayat (province) of the Dhofar Governorate in southern Oman. In ancient times Thumrait was an important point on the Arabian peninsula's caravan routes. Frankincense trees, an important crop, used to grow in greater abundance in Thumrait than now. The main occupation of the people of Thumrait is the cultivation of fruit, vegetables and animal fodder.
The Royal Air Force of Oman is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Oman.
The Ambala Air Force Station is an Air Force base situated north of the urban Ambala Cantt area in Haryana, India. The Ambala Air Force Station is the home to the first batch of advance multirole fighter jet Dassault Rafales that have been inducted to Indian Air Force.
On 1 April 2006 Expeditionary Air Wings (EAWs) were formed at nine of the RAF's Main Operating Bases. Each EAW has its own identity and is led by the Station Commander, supported by their Station management team. The deployable elements of the station structures form the core of each EAW, reinforced by elements of the Air Combat Service Support Units (ACSSUs). Flying and Force Protection force elements are attached to meet the requirements of each operation. EAWs enable the RAF to train as cohesive air power units which are prepared and capable of transitioning quickly from peacetime structures and deploying swiftly on operations in tailored packages.
No. 612 Squadron RAF was originally formed in 1937 as an Army Co-operation unit, and flew during the Second World War in the General Reconnaissance role. After the war the squadron was reformed and flew in the Day Fighter role until disbanded in 1957. At present the squadron has a non-flying role as a RAF Medical Reserves unit.
The relations between the United Kingdom and Oman are strong and strategic.
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The Strike Attack Operational Evaluation Unit (SAOEU) or Strike Attack OEU, was a unit of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Boscombe Down in Wiltshire between 1987 and 2004. The unit operated the Panavia Tornado GR.1 and GR.4, BAE Harrier GR.5 & T.4A and SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft. The role of the SAOEU was to evaluate new and existing equipment and to develop fast-jet ground attack tactics in order to provide timely advice to the front line.
Exercise Saif Sareea is a series of military exercises undertaken by the United Kingdom and Oman which first began in 1986 and most recently took place in 2018.
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