Balad Air Base (Martyr Brig.Gen. Ali Falih Al-Jawiya Air Base)
Summary
| Operating Country | 🇮🇶 Iraq • 🇺🇸 United States |
| Location | 🇮🇶 Iraq |
| Status | ◉ Active |
| Usage | Military only |
| Year built | 1983 |
| Operating Organization | Iraqi Air Force |
| Units |
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Location & Details
| Coordinates | 34.0935°N, 44.3615°E |
| Elevation | 49 m (161 ft) |
| ICAO code | ORBD |
| Runways |
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Description
Balad Air Base is located 64 kilometers north of Baghdad near Balad. Established in 1983 for the Iraqi Air Force, it was originally designated Al-Bakr Air Base. During the 1980s, the facility operated with a brigade-level force that included two squadrons of Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 fighters.
In April 2003, U.S. forces captured the installation, which was subsequently referred to as Camp Anaconda and Joint Base Balad. During the U.S. presence, the base functioned as a headquarters for the 332d Air Expeditionary Wing and the 310th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary). The facility was transferred back to the Iraqi Air Force on November 8, 2011.
The Iraqi Air Force currently operates the base, which serves as the station for the 9th Fighter Squadron. This unit operates a fleet of General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons.
The infrastructure includes 40 hardened aircraft shelters (HAS) organized into four areas. These shelters were constructed by Yugoslavian contractors during the mid-1980s. The airfield configuration features 25 high-speed approaches, three aprons, and multiple taxiways to support aircraft dispersal and flight operations.