Cam Ranh Airport

Cam Ranh Air Force Base is located on Cam Ranh Bay in Khánh Hòa province, Vietnam. Established in 1965 by the United States Air Force (USAF), the base was part of a broader logistics facility that included a military seaport. Initial construction included a temporary runway of aluminum matting, later replaced by concrete runways, taxiways, and cargo aprons. During the Vietnam War, the base hosted the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing, operating F-4 Phantom IIs, and the 483rd Tactical Airlift Wing, which operated C-7 Caribous. The airfield functioned as a hub for strategic and tactical airlift, processing personnel and cargo for distribution within the region.

Following the withdrawal of United States forces in 1972, the facility was transferred to the Republic of Vietnam Air Force, which used it for aircraft storage. In 1979, the Soviet Union began a 25-year lease of the site, utilizing it for signal intelligence and logistical support for naval forces in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean. Soviet Naval Aviation stationed the 169th Guards Mixed Aviation Regiment at the base, operating MiG-23 fighters, Tu-16 and Tu-16K tankers, and Tu-95RTS and Tu-142M maritime reconnaissance aircraft. Infrastructure additions during this period included piers, dry docks, and fuel and weapons storage facilities. Russian forces maintained signal intelligence operations at the site until 2002.

The Vietnam People's Air Force currently operates the facility as a joint civil-military airport. It hosts the 920th Training Squadron and a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) runway operated by the Vietnam Naval Air Force. Under a 2014 agreement, the port facility remains accessible to Russian warships. Russian Il-78 tanker aircraft have utilized the base to support the refueling of strategic bombers.