Car Nicobar Air Force Station is located in IAF Camp village on Car Nicobar Island in the union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. The air base's runway was originally constructed by the Japanese between 1942 and 1945. After 1945, it was utilized by the British Royal Air Force as a refueling base for flights between RAF Negombo (Sri Lanka) and RAF Changi (Singapore), with a stop at RAF Butterworth. The Indian Air Force (IAF) brought the airstrip into operation as a staging post in 1956, serving as a refueling station for aircraft crossing the Bay of Bengal. The runway was extended by the IAF in 1967. The base was upgraded to a Forward Base Support Unit in 1986 and subsequently to a Wing in 1993. The main air units stationed here include No. 122 Helicopter Flight, operating Mi-8 helicopters, along with Dorniers and an Air Defence unit. The air station suffered significant damage during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, resulting in the loss of 116 IAF personnel and their families. Despite the devastation, IAF personnel worked to repair the runway, navigational aids, and basic infrastructure, allowing the air station to resume operations within three and a half months. The airport, while primarily military, also handles commercial services operated by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Administration and Pawan Hans, utilizing aircraft chartered from the Indian Air Force.