U.S. bases transfer control to TuAF

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Rose Richeson
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  The last of Tactical Air Command's F-100s departed Incirlik in the early 1970s when F-4s from units in Germany relieved them for about six months (click here to learn more about Incirlik's Rotational Squadron Deployments in the 1960s). During the break, the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing converted to F-4s and resumed rotations after the break.
The flying mission at Incirlik further diversified following the loss of a former training range in Libya.

The loss seriously impaired U.S. Air Forces in Europe's ability to train aircrews in weapons delivery tactics. USAFE began negotiations with several North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries to open new ranges or expand existing ones.

The Turkish Air Force agreed to allow USAFE to improve facilities at its air-to-ground range at Konya, Turkey, providing a suitable training area for Incirlik RSDs.

The Konya air-to-ground range, located 150 miles northwest of Incirlik, allowed deployed crews to practice a variety of weapons delivery techniques, chemical warfare defense and specialized low-level navigation. USAFE and the TuAF jointly use the range and its 10,900-foot main runway.

Incirlik RSDs also conducted training at an offshore air-to-air range, 30 miles south of the base in the northeastern Mediterranean Sea. This range provided the ability to fly at supersonic speeds while practicing basic fighter maneuvers, air combat tactics and intercept missions.

Throughout the 1970s and into the 80s, many types of aircraft including F-4s, F-15s, F-16s, F-111s and A-10s deployed to Incirlik to take advantage of such a unique training opportunity. Sometimes RSDs combined the use of both ranges during particular missions and took advantage of the available airspace and fair-weather flying conditions the local area provides year-round.

In response to changes in the international relations arena in mid 1975, Turkey announced that all U.S. bases would close and transfer control to the Turkish military. Only Incirlik and Izmir remained open due to their NATO missions. All non-NATO activities at these two locations ceased.

(Editor's note: Over the eight months leading up to the Air Force's 60th birthday monumental milestones in Incirlik's history will be uncovered. You can read about Incirlik's coming of age during the last week each month either in the printed paper or online at www.incirlik.af.mil.

(The 39th Air Base Wing history office contributed to this story)