Ras Banas Air Base (Lepte Akra)

Ras Banas Air Base is located on a peninsula in Egypt extending into the Red Sea, situated north of Foul Bay near the port of Berenice. The installation is operated by the Egyptian Air Force.

The site originally served as an Egyptian military airfield. During the Six Day War in June 1967, the base housed elements of the 9th light bomber squadron operating Ilyushin Il-28 aircraft. Following a 1964 agreement between the Soviet Union and the United Arab Republic, the Soviet military began construction of the facility in 1970, establishing it as their first base in Egypt. Soviet forces occupied the site until July 1972. In 1981, the Egyptian government authorized the United States to utilize the base as a staging area for Persian Gulf and Middle Eastern contingencies. While a permanent U.S. base was not established, the facility was designated for use by the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force during emergencies. During the Gulf War, the site served as a port of call for the United States Sixth Fleet.

Infrastructure at Ras Banas includes three asphalt runways and logistics facilities. The base houses petroleum, oil, and lubricants (POL) storage, warehouses, and fuel storage depots. Supporting utilities include a water desalination plant and a distribution network. The site also contains barracks designed to accommodate troop deployments. Although military planning identified the airfield for the operation of B-52 bombers and C-5 transport aircraft, the facility remains under Egyptian command.