Incirlik AB, Turkey

APO, AE 09824 | Base Operator: DSN 314-676-1110, 011-90-71-221-1774

Incirlik AB: Overview

Incirlik Air Base supports airmen from the United States Air Force (USAF), the Royal Air Force (Britain), and the Turkish Air Force. The major unit of the USAF is the 39th Air Base Wing, which falls under the control of the USAFE. The role of this installation is to support the efforts of the major units stationed here. The 39th Air Base Wing, for instance, has a very important mission, which is to defend the interests of both the United States and NATO in this region by demonstrating air superiority when called upon.

The original plan for Incirlik Air Base was to use it as a staging area and recovery site for strategic bombers. It was officially activated for service on February 21, 1955. However, the installation was used extensively to conduct reconnaissance missions over the Soviet Union. Initially, balloons were used to serve this purpose, but the mission evolved and employed the use of the Lockheed U-2. Both the USAF and Navy used other airframes to fly reconnaissance missions as well, such as the Boeing RB-47H Stratojet and the P4M-1Q Mercator. Incirlik Air Base eventually hosted squadrons that conducted missions with air superiority fighters (F-4 Phantom, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon) and ground attack platforms (F-111 Aardvark, A-10 Thunderbolt II).

Incirlik AB: Education

Being stationed overseas at Incirlik AB in Turkey, you should strongly consider utilizing the Tuition Assistance (TA) Program and the GI Bill in order to earn your degree. Online schools are proud to deliver a high-quality education to our service members stationed overseas. Online schools offer the convenience that you need, providing you with the ability to take classes according to your schedule, no matter where you are located. You may want to request information from a number of these schools. Start by clicking the "Find A School" button below:

Incirlik AB: Location

Incirlik Air Base is located in the town of Incirlik. Adana, Turkey, which is one of the largest cities in the nation, is only about 5 miles to the west of the base. This area is also part of the Adana providence. The Seyhan River is located nearby and the Mediterranean Sea is only about 35 miles away. Other towns in the area include Ceyhan, Imamoglu, Tarsus, Kozan, Kadirli, Dortyol, Osmaniye, Mersin, Iskenderun, Belen, Bahce, Erdemli, Islahiye, and Samandag.

Incirlik AB: Interesting Facts

The installation was originally known as Adana Air Base. The name of the base was changed to Incirlik Air Base in 1958.
The Turkish Air Force allowed the USAFE to begin testing air-to-ground missiles at its ranges in 1970.