Kenitra Air Base (NAS Port Lyautey)
Summary
| Operating Country | 🇲🇦 Morocco |
| Location | 🇲🇦 Morocco |
| Status | ◉ Active |
| Usage | Military only |
| Operating Organization | Royal Moroccan Air Force |
| Units |
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Location & Details
| Coordinates | 34.2989°N, -6.5959°E |
| Elevation | 5 m (16 ft) |
| IATA code | NNA |
| ICAO code | GMMY |
| Runways |
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Description
Kenitra Air Base, designated as the Third Royal Air Force Base, is located in Kenitra within the Rabat-Sale-Kenitra region of Morocco. The installation is operated by the Royal Moroccan Air Force.
The base was established during World War II as Craw Field and served as a staging area for Allied operations in North Africa and the Mediterranean Theater. During the conflict, the facility hosted United States Navy Fleet Air Wing 15 and the USAAF 480th Antisubmarine Group. These units operated PBY Catalinas, B-24 Liberators, and K-ships for maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare. In 1951, the site was expanded and redesignated as NAS Port Lyautey, serving as a United States Naval Air Station. During the period of U.S. administration, the base supported various aircraft types, including the P4M Mercator, P-2 Neptune, P-3 Orion, EP-3 Aries, and EA-3 Skywarrior. The United States Navy transferred the facility to the Royal Moroccan Air Force in 1977.
The Third Royal Air Force Base functions as the primary hub for Morocco's military air cargo transport operations. The installation hosts squadrons of Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. Since 1982, the base has also hosted a training wing for transport pilots, which utilizes Beechcraft King Air aircraft for flight instruction.