Agence France Presse September 13, 2002
US has longest runway in Gulf ready for action against Iraq
By JIM MANNION
After the September 11 attacks, the United States seized on the opportunity to use Al Udeid Air Base where it now has the longest runway in the Gulf region if there is a war with Iraq.
Al Udeid Air Base, a possible headquarters for US forces in the Gulf in case of any conflict, also has rapidly expanding facilities for a US air expeditionary wing.
The 15,000 feet (4,500 metre) long runway is in the desert about 35 kilometers (20 miles) southwest of Doha, capital of the tiny state of Qatar. Qatar offered the base to the United States for crisis use in 2000, an invitation seized on by the Pentagon after last year's terrorist attacks on the United States.
Since then, the base has been rapidly upgraded. Commercial satellite images show expanded apron space, hardened underground bunkers, and huge hardened aircraft shelters with an unusual angular design.
A combined air operations center capable of orchestrating an air war is reported to be nearing completion, offering a back-up in case Washington is denied the use of a similar center at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
A proposal to make the Qatari base the headquarters of the US Central Command -- now based in Tampa, Florida -- is under consideration at top levels of the US government, according to administration officials.
The Central Command has announced plans to send over a deployable headquarters consisting of several buildings replete with command, control and communications equipment to be set up and tested in November.
Up to 600 headquarters staff from Tampa also are going to the base for what the Central Command says will be an exercise but that Pentagon officials concede could become a more permanent move if the Iraq crisis worsens.
Al-Udeid currently is used by KC-10 and KC-135 air refueling aircraft and C-17 transport planes.
Analysts with GlobalSecurity.Org, a private research group that posted satellite photos of the base on its website, say the base's two hardened aircraft shelters together could hold 40 to 80 aircraft.
Drive-through shelters near the giant runway have room for a dozen or more fighter aircraft.
Two years ago, plans called for facilities capable of handling an air expeditionary force of about 30 to 40 fighters.
Pentagon officials said about 3,500 military personnel are stationed at the base.
Copyright 2002 Agence France Presse
