🇶🇦 Al Udeid Air Base

Al Udeid Air Base (OTBH/XJD) is a military air base located in Al Rayyan, Qatar, southwest of Doha. It serves as a critical logistics, command, and basing hub for the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations, overseeing U.S. air operations in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria.

Notable Features and History:

• Built by Qatar in 1996 at a cost of over $1 billion, with Qatar subsequently spending at least $8 billion on its development.
• The U.S. military began using the base in late September 2001 for operations in Afghanistan.
• In April 2003, the U.S. Combat Air Operations Center for the Middle East moved to Al Udeid from Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
• It is the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East, hosting approximately 10,000 military personnel as of 2026.

Current Status: Al Udeid Air Base is an operational military facility. It houses the Qatar Emiri Air Force, United States Air Force (USAF), United Kingdom Royal Air Force (RAF), and other foreign forces. It is home to a forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command, headquarters of the USAF Central Command, No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group RAF, and the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing of the USAF.

The base has four runways:

• 16L/34R: 3,750 meters (12,303 ft) long, asphaltic concrete & concrete slab.
• 16R/34L: 3,748 meters (12,303 ft) long, asphaltic concrete & concrete slab.

The air traffic control tower (Al-Udaid TWR) operates 24 hours a day on frequencies including 125.500 MHz and 293.650 MHz. The airspace is classified as Class D, with a vertical limit from surface to 5,000 feet and a transition altitude of 13,000 feet.

*Sources researched: aim.gov.qa, en.wikipedia.org, globalsecurity.org, nytimes.com*