Basrah Air Base (Basra International Airport)

Basrah Air Base is located in southern Iraq, serving the city of Basra. The original airfield was established six miles east of the current site on the bank of the Shatt Al-Arab in the late 1930s to accommodate seaplanes. This location featured a terminal designed by James Mollison Wilson and Harold Mason for Imperial Airways. The current airport was constructed during the 1980s by the State Organisation for Roads and Bridges. Renovation projects were suspended during the 1991 Gulf War but resumed after 2003. Refurbishment conducted by the United States Agency for International Development included the construction of air traffic control towers, navigational facilities, and communications infrastructure. The facility reopened for flight operations in June 2004.

From 2003 to 2009, the Royal Air Force operated No. 903 Expeditionary Air Wing at the base. The unit utilized fixed-wing aircraft including the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR.2, Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules, and British Aerospace 125. Rotary aircraft assets included Boeing Chinook, Westland Sea King, Westland Lynx, Westland Gazelle, Westland Puma, and Westland Merlin helicopters. The United States Army historically operated Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopters at the site, and the Danish Air Force deployed Eurocopter Squirrel aircraft.

The base functions as a secondary hub for Iraqi Airways. Ground operations and cargo handling are managed by Lebanese Air Transport-Charter Ground Handling in partnership with the Directorate of Iraqi Airports. Infrastructure includes air traffic control towers, navigational aids, and transportation facilities. The site is situated adjacent to a United States Consulate.