Pudahuel Air Base (Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport)

Pudahuel Air Base is located in the municipality of Pudahuel, 15 kilometers northwest of central Santiago. It operates as a joint civil-military facility on the site of Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport. Construction of the original facilities, including the eastern runway and control tower, began in 1961 to replace Los Cerrillos Airport as the capital’s primary aviation installation. The facility was commissioned as Aeropuerto Internacional de Pudahuel on February 2, 1967, and was renamed on March 19, 1980, in honor of the founder of the Chilean Air Force. In February 2010, the base supported a humanitarian air-bridge to Concepción following a major earthquake.

The base serves as the headquarters for the Chilean Air Force 2nd Air Brigade and the 10th Aviation Group. Current operations conducted by the 10th Aviation Group include strategic air transportation, air transport for the President of Chile, and emergency medical evacuation. The unit also manages the Airborne Early Warning & Control Squadron. Additionally, the base facilities host the Feria Internacional del Aire y del Espacio (FIDAE).

Infrastructure includes dedicated hangars and administrative buildings for the 2nd Air Brigade and the 10th Aviation Group. Maintenance facilities on-site include a widebody aircraft complex featuring hangars, classrooms, and parts storage capable of accommodating Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft. The base hosts and operates several aircraft types, including units of C-130 Hercules, Boeing 767-300, Boeing 737 Classic, Gulfstream IV, and CASA C-212 Aviocar. The installation also houses F-16 Fighting Falcons, the AEW&C Condor, and Boeing E-3 Sentry airborne early warning aircraft.