Prince Sultan Air Base

Prince Sultan Air Base (PSAB) is a military air base situated in Al Kharj, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia. Constructed in 1951, the base has remained in continuous operation since its establishment. It is owned by the Ministry of Defense and operated by the Royal Saudi Air Force, with a consistent presence of United States Air Force units. The base is located at an elevation of 503 meters above mean sea level and features two asphalt runways, 17L/35R and 17R/35L, both measuring 4,000 meters in length.

PSAB has served as a significant hub for coalition forces during various operations, including Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. Following the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing, all United States Air Force activities from that location were relocated to PSAB. Prior to the September 11 attacks, aircraft stationed at PSAB were primarily for defensive purposes, with offensive strike operations launched from other locations. The base hosted a variety of aircraft types, including airborne early warning, reconnaissance, air refueling, electronic warfare, suppression of enemy air defenses, and air-to-air fighter aircraft from the U.S., UK, and France.

In mid-2003, most U.S. operations began transitioning to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. However, in October 2019, approximately 2,000 U.S. troops, B-1B bombers, F-22 Raptor stealth fighters, and Patriot missile batteries were deployed to PSAB. On December 17, 2019, the 378th Air Expeditionary Wing was activated at the base. Currently, the Royal Saudi Air Force's Wing 6, Wing 4, and Wing 14 are stationed at PSAB, operating aircraft such as the Boeing E-3A Sentry, Beech Model 350i Super King Air, Boeing RE-3A/B, Boeing KE-3A, Airbus A330-203/243 MRTT, Lockheed KC-130H/J Hercules, and Saab 2000 AEW&C. The base utilizes temporary housing, with plans for more permanent structures.