Laughlin Air Force Base (IATA: DLF, ICAO: KDLF) serves Del Rio, US.
Laughlin Air Force Base (IATA: DLF, ICAO: KDLF, FAA LID: DLF) is a United States Air Force facility located east of Del Rio, Texas.
Type of Facility and Operations: Laughlin AFB is the largest pilot training base in the U.S. Air Force, home to the 47th Flying Training Wing of the Air Education and Training Command and the 96th Flying Training Squadron of the Air Force Reserve Command. The airfield experiences more takeoffs and landings on weekdays than any other airport in the country. Aircraft flown at Laughlin include the T-6A Texan II, the T-38C Talon, and the T-1A Jayhawk. Approximately 15 classes of 20-25 pilots graduate annually.
Notable Features or History: Originally named Laughlin Army Air Field on March 3, 1943, it was named after Jack T. Laughlin, a B-17E Flying Fortress pilot who was Del Rio's first World War II casualty. During World War II, its primary mission was training B-26 Marauder pilots and aircrews. The base was closed in October 1945 and reopened on May 1, 1952.
Laughlin AFB played a significant role in the Cuban Missile Crisis. In 1962, U-2s from Laughlin were among the first to provide photographic evidence of Soviet missile installations in Cuba. Major Rudolf Anderson, Jr., a 4080th pilot from Laughlin, posthumously became the first recipient of the Air Force Cross after his U-2 was hit by shrapnel over Cuba. The primary operations training complex, Anderson Hall, is named in his honor.
The 47th Flying Training Wing, active at Laughlin AFB since September 1, 1972, has trained over 15,000 pilots for the United States and its allies.
Current Status: Laughlin Air Force Base is operational. The U.S. Census Bureau counts the base as a census-designated place (Laughlin AFB CDP) with a population of 1,673 at the 2020 census. The base has an air traffic control tower with radar approach control. The main gate (West Gate) is open 24 hours, seven days a week.
*Sources researched: laughlin.af.mil, en.wikipedia.org, nfdc.faa.gov, airnav.com, installations.militaryonesource.mil*
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Where is Laughlin Air Force Base located?
Laughlin Air Force Base is located in Del Rio, US, at an elevation of 1082 ft. Its IATA code is DLF and ICAO code is KDLF.