Overview
Air power is dependent upon effective airbase operations. This requires agile airbasing, in the right locations, with essential support personnel, adequate base utilities and services.
Airbases may be employed on a broad range of missions including kinetic and non-kinetic operations, non-combatant evacuation operations, and humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief operations.
The principles of airbase operations are responsiveness, flexibility, deployability, resilience, sustainability, agility and security. These principles should be considered in all aspects of airbase operations planning to ensure airbases are able to meet the requirements of the joint force.
Key Terms
Airfield
An area of land set aside for the take-off, landing, and maintenance of aircraft.
Air Base
A defined area containing an aerodrome and infrastructure that supports air power activities.
Air Base operations
Operations conducted from an Air Base.