🇰🇷 Suwon Airport

Suwon Air Base (IATA: SWU, ICAO: RKSW) is a military and public airport located near Suwon city, South Korea, owned and operated by the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF). It has an elevation of 88 feet (27 meters) above sea level.

The base was established during the Korean War as Suwon (K-13) Air Base and hosted United States Air Force units. It was evacuated and recaptured multiple times during the conflict. Notable incidents include a bombing by Korean People's Air Force Polikarpov Po-2s in 1951 and a collision between a Hellenic Air Force C-47D and a USAF F-80 in 1952. Post-war, various USAF units were stationed there, including the 25th Fighter Squadron operating A-10s from 1981 to 1989. In 1984, a Northrop F-20 Tigershark crashed at Suwon during a demonstration flight, killing the test pilot. In 1996, a Korean People's Air Force captain defected in a Shenyang J-6, landing at Suwon.

Currently, Suwon Air Base is home to the ROKAF's 10th Fighter Wing, which includes the 101st and 201st Fighter Squadrons flying KF-5E/KF-5F/F-5F aircraft. The US Army's 6th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, operating Patriot missiles, is also stationed at the base. The airport has three runways, with the longest being 9,000 feet (2,743 meters).

*Sources researched: en.wikipedia.org, ourairports.com, flightradar24.com, thepilotsdesk.com, airportguide.com*