Iraq has a total of about 100 airfields, of which six are major bases for Iraqi air forces.(42) In addition, there are "several large stretches of highway clearly designed to double as aircraft runways -- wide and long enough to accommodate even Iraq's Soviet-built Ilyushin 76 transport planes."(43) These airfield included over 200 hardened shelters to protect combat aircraft from aerial attack.
MAIN OPERATING BASES
Al Iskandariyah - One of eight major operating bases
Ash Shuaybah - One of six major bases for Iraqi air forces.(46)
Basra - One of six major bases for Iraqi air forces.(47)
H-3 (Haj Sen) - Oil pumping station used as air base, east of Rutba near Shib al Wolj, one of six major bases for Iraqi air forces.(48).
Kirkuk - One of six major bases for Iraqi air forces.(49)
Mosul - One of six major bases for Iraqi air forces.(50)
Rashid - One of six major bases for Iraqi air forces.(51)
Tikrit(52) - Home town of Saddam Hussein.
OTHER MILITARY AIRFIELDS
Al-Amarah(53)
Al-Asad(54)
Al-Fallujah(55)
Al-Habbaniyah(56) - near Baghdad
Az Zubyar / Rumaila(57)
Baghdad (Downtown)(58)
Baghdad International Airport(59)
Balad(60)
H-2 - near pumping station.
Hadhar
Irbil (Erbil)(61)
Jalibah(62)
Qayyarah(63)
Shaik Mazhur(64)
Tallil(65)
Tal Afar(66)
Ubaydah bin al Jarrah(67)
BACK-UP DISPERSAL AIRFIELDS
Al Muhammadi
Al Qaim
Ar Rutba
As Salman
Basra West
Ghalaysan
H-1 - near pumping station.
H-3 Highway Strip - One of three backup airfields east H-3.
H-3 Northwest(68) - One of three backup airfields east H-3.
H-3 Southwest(69) - One of three backup airfields east H-3.
Hawr
Kut Al Hayy
Nejef
Numaniyah
Qalat Salih
Qalat Sikar
Qasr Amij
Qurna
Radif al Khan
Rumashid - backup airfield east of H-3 (inside Jordon?)
Shaik Jasim
Shaklawa
Subaku
Uum Qasr
Wadi al Khirr
42. Metz, Helen, (editor), Iraq: A Country Study, (Library of Congress Federal Research Division, US Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1990), page 219.
43. Dye, Lee, "Decade of Digging Aids Iraq," Los Angeles Times, 26 January 1991, page A1, A6.
44. DoD News Briefing, 28 January 1991, page 3.
45. DoD News Briefing, 15 March 1991, page 5.
46. Metz, Helen, (editor), Iraq: A Country Study, (Library of Congress Federal Research Division, US Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1990), page 219.
47. Metz, Helen, (editor), Iraq: A Country Study, (Library of Congress Federal Research Division, US Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1990), page 219.
48. Metz, Helen, (editor), Iraq: A Country Study, (Library of Congress Federal Research Division, US Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1990), page 219.
49. Metz, Helen, (editor), Iraq: A Country Study, (Library of Congress Federal Research Division, US Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1990), page 219.
50. Metz, Helen, (editor), Iraq: A Country Study, (Library of Congress Federal Research Division, US Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1990), page 219.
51. Metz, Helen, (editor), Iraq: A Country Study, (Library of Congress Federal Research Division, US Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1990), page 219.
52. "Iraq: Targets for U.S." The New York Times, 18 November 1990, page 1.
53. "Iraq: Targets for U.S." The New York Times, 18 November 1990, page 1.
54. "Iraq: Targets for U.S." The New York Times, 18 November 1990, page 1.
55. "Iraq: Targets for U.S." The New York Times, 18 November 1990, page 1.
56. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, "Iraq" (map 79-692209), 1979.
57. "Iraq: Targets for U.S." The New York Times, 18 November 1990, page 1.
58. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, "Iraq" (map 79-692209), 1979.
59. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, "Iraq" (map 79-692209), 1979.
60. "Iraq: Targets for U.S." The New York Times, 18 November 1990, page 1.
61. Scarborough, Rowan, "Shields won't Deter Attack," The Washington Times, 2 November 1990, page A11.
62. "Iraq: Targets for U.S." The New York Times, 18 November 1990, page 1.
63. "Iraq: Targets for U.S." The New York Times, 18 November 1990, page 1.
64. "Iraq: Targets for U.S." The New York Times, 18 November 1990, page 1.
65. "Iraq: Targets for U.S." The New York Times, 18 November 1990, page 1.
66. "Iraq: Targets for U.S." The New York Times, 18 November 1990, page 1.
67. "Iraq: Targets for U.S." The New York Times, 18 November 1990, page 1.
68. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, "Iraq" (map 79-692209), 1979.
69. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, "Iraq" (map 79-692209), 1979.