RAFO Thumrait


RAFO Thumrait airbase is a military airfield located near Thumrait, a town in Dhofar Governorate, Oman. The Royal [Air Force of Oman] are the operators of RAFO Thumrait, and is home to two RAFO squadrons of F-16s. The United States Air Force is a current tenant, and the British Royal Air Force and the Indian Air Force also use RAFO Thumrait during regular cross-nation military exercises.

Facilities

RAFO Thumrait is at an elevation of above mean sea level and has one runway with an asphalt surface measuring.

History

Originally an oil depot, RAFO Thumrait was established to project air power in that region of Oman. The first Omani air unit based at Thumrait, equipped with ex-RAF Hawker Hunter FGA.9 aircraft, was tasked with ground attack and intercept missions. Twelve new SEPECAT Jaguar fighter-bombers were added to the base's complement to improve attack capabilities in 1977.
RAFO Thumrait has been used by American, British, and allied air forces to support operations during operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Desert Fox, and the War in Afghanistan . Many current coalition detachments now operate from Muscat International Airport, which is closer to the area of operations.
"Thumrait.. is a Harvest Falcon depot. Harvest Falcon is the Air Force's transportable system of modular personnel tents, shelters, equipment, and vehicles to be used when there are infrastructure limitations. The Harvest Falcon equipment is an 1,100-person housekeeping set of tents, electrical generators and billets."
A US Air Force War Reserve Materiel contract was let to DynCorp Technical Services to provide support for bare base systems, medical, munitions, fuels mobility support equipment, vehicles, rations, aerospace ground equipment, air base operability equipment, and associated spares and other consumables at Royal Air Force of Oman airbase, Thumrait. These services include maintaining war reserve materiel stored at Thumrait.

Exercises held at RAFO Thumrait

The US Air Force's 16th [Special Operations Wing], 823rd 'Red Horse' Squadron went to RAFO Thumrait on 17 April 1996 for 'Eastern Castle', an exercise with the Omani military. During this exercise, the US Air Force built runway and apron extensions, and installed overhead lighting in the base's aircraft hangars.

Saif Sareea

(Swift Sword

Eastern Bridge

In 2009, Indian Air Force pilots of 'Flaming Arrows' and 'Cobras', two SEPECAT Jaguar Squadrons, participated in joint exercises called 'Eastern Bridge', alongside the Royal Air Force of Oman 's force of SEPECAT Jaguars and F-16 Fighting Falcons at RAFO Thumrait. Another Indo-Omani exercise, 'Eastern Bridge-II', took place in 2011 at Indian Air Force Station Jamnagar.