Nevatim Airbase
Nevatim Israeli Air Force Base (Hebrew: בסיס נבטים) (IATA: VTM, ICAO: LLNV), also Air Force Base 28, is an Israeli Air Force base located southeast of Be'er Sheva, near moshav Nevatim. It was built as a rough runway in 1947 for the Sherut Avir, the air wing of the Haganah, and was named Malhata after the archaeological site on which it was partly built. It was reopened in 1983 as a new modern airbase with two runways as the result of joint Israeli and US government funding as part of the IAF's redeployment out of its bases in the Sinai after it was returned to Egypt following the Camp David Accords. Since 2003 the base has gradually received more squadrons of F-16s. A third runway was built in the mid-2000s decade as part of a project to accommodate the transfer of military activities previously taking place at Ben Gurion Airport (Air Force Base 27) to Nevatim.
Nevatim Israeli Air Force Base בסיס נבטים | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | Israeli Air Force | ||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Be'er Sheva | ||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,393 ft / 425 m | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 31°12′30.05″N 35°00′44.28″E | ||||||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||||||
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Israel's growing fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35Is are currently based in Nevatim. All F-16s have been deactivated.
Units
- 103 Squadron "Elephants" – operating the C-130J
- 116 Squadron "Lions Of The South" – in preparation for operating a second squadron of F-35I[1]
- 120 Squadron "Desert Giants" – operating the Boeing 707 as a flying tanker
- 122 Squadron "Nachshon" – operating the Gulfstream G550 as an AWACS/AEW plane
- 131 Squadron "Yellow Bird Knights" – operating the C-130E/H
- 140 Squadron "Golden Eagle" – operating the first squadron of F-35I in Israel
First two F-35I arrive at Nevatim Air Base in December 2016 (#901 & #902).jpg.webp)
A new F-35I Adir (#913) of 140 Squadron "Golden Eagle" in its shelter (see eagle symbol)
A retired F-16A Netz of 140 Squadron "Golden Eagle" (see tail), involved in Operation Opera
A sculpture of 140 Squadron "Golden Eagle" at Nevatim Air Base
Buildings at Nevatim Air Base erected by US companies
A G550 AEW Nachshon, Airborne Early Warning, based at Nevatim, in April 2015
A 707 refueling two C-130 Hercules Karnaf in June 2016 above Israel, all based at Nevatim
