Ghardabiya Airbase

Ghardabiya Airbase is a dual-function military installation and civilian airport located south of the Mediterranean coastal city of Sirte, Libya. It is operated by the Libyan Air Force. The facility is equipped with an on-field VHF omnidirectional range and distance measuring equipment (VOR-DME) system, alongside a non-directional beacon located north of the airfield in the city of Sirte.

The installation hosts the 1124th Bomber Squadron and the 1st Fighter-Bomber Squadron. These units operate Su-22 aircraft. The Libyan Air Force also operates the Aero L-39 Albatros from the base for counterinsurgency missions. Commercial flight operations, which were suspended during the 2011 conflict, have included civilian passenger service by Libyan Airlines.

During the First Libyan Civil War, the base was targeted on 20 and 21 March 2011 by United States Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers employing precision-guided munitions. The United States Navy concurrently launched Tomahawk cruise missiles against the installation to deny the Libyan Air Force operational capability.

In the Second Libyan Civil War, ISIL militants captured the facility in May 2015 following their takeover of Sirte. Pro-Libyan government forces retook the base on 4 June 2016. In January 2020, forces aligned with eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar assumed control of the installation and the city of Sirte.