Bir Gifgafa Airfield (Rephidim Airbase)

Bardawil International Airport, formerly known as Bir Gifgafa, Meliz, and Rephidim, is located in the Sinai Peninsula, 90 kilometers east of the Suez Canal. The Egyptian Air Force established the site as Base 244 following the 1956 Suez Crisis to provide air cover and close support for army units in the Sinai. By May 1967, the base hosted elements of the 15th Fighter Regiment, including the 45th Fighter Squadron operating MiG-21F-13 and MiG-21PF aircraft, as well as Mil Mi-6 helicopters and transport units.

During the Six-Day War, the facility was a primary target of Israel’s Operation Focus. Following aerial strikes by Israeli Air Force (IAF) Ouragan, Mystere, and Super Mystere formations, the airfield was captured by the IDF’s 84th Division on June 7, 1967. The IAF subsequently utilized the site to support transport aircraft, including Nords and Dakotas, and deployed MIM-23 Hawk batteries for air defense.

Renamed Rephidim (Israeli Air Force Base 3), the installation officially resumed operations under Israeli control in May 1968. It functioned as the primary center for IDF operations in the western Sinai, hosting rotations of Mirage III aircraft from 101 Squadron and various logistical units. The base served as a forward recovery station, medical evacuation center, and Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) site. During the War of Attrition and the Yom Kippur War, the base operated F-4 Phantoms and IAI Neshers. Following the Camp David Accords, Israel withdrew from the installation in late 1979.

The facility currently operates as a dual military and civilian airport under the name Bardawil International Airport. It supports Egyptian military operations responding to the Sinai insurgency. The military component houses Air Tractor AT-802 aircraft and has previously hosted CAIG Wing Loong unmanned aerial vehicles. Infrastructure includes two aircraft tarmacs, service facilities, and a civilian passenger terminal with a capacity of 200 passengers per hour.