Boulhaut Air Base
Encyclopedia
Boulhaut Air Base is a former United States Air Force
(USAF) base located in Morocco
.
Built in 1954 by French contractors, the base was opened on 15 April 1955. The base was one of three Strategic Air Command
(SAC) bases (Sidi Slimane
and Nouasseur
being the other two), that were constructed in Morocco in response to the heightened Cold War
fears by NATO after the Korean War
. Its base host unit was the 3936th Air Base Squadron which reported to the SAC 5th Air Division. SAC assumed jurisdiction of the base on 1 June 1955. The base included housing, code rooms, radar, a cold-storage plant, a glass-walled servicemen's club and a movie theater, along with a 10,000-foot runway, all at a cost of $23 million.
The base was used for forward deployment of B-47 Stratojet
bombers and support units.
Boulhaut was closed in about 1963 and turned over to the Moroccan government. Analysis of aerial imagery shows that the condition of the runway, taxiways and parking apron indicate that the facility is still in use, possibly as a Moroccan Air Force axillary airfield with minimum staffing. Several small transport aircraft are parked on the apron.
A small hangar and control tower is visible, with most former USAF facilities having been removed. Some buildings to the southwest of the runway are in a state of abandonment, possibly after USAF use, along with several water towers and streets which are the only remains of the American presence.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
(USAF) base located in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
.
Built in 1954 by French contractors, the base was opened on 15 April 1955. The base was one of three Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC) bases (Sidi Slimane
Sidi Slimane Air Base
Sidi Slimane Air Base is a military air base in Sidi Slimane, a city in the Gharb-Chrarda-Béni Hssen region in Morocco. It is also known as the Fifth Royal Air Force Base, operated by the Royal Moroccan Air Force.-History:...
and Nouasseur
Nouasseur Air Base
Nouasseur Air Base near Casablanca, French Morocco is a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base. It was designed for B-36 and B-47 bombers.Today, Nouasseur AB is known as Mohammed V International Airport.-Origins:...
being the other two), that were constructed in Morocco in response to the heightened Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
fears by NATO after the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Its base host unit was the 3936th Air Base Squadron which reported to the SAC 5th Air Division. SAC assumed jurisdiction of the base on 1 June 1955. The base included housing, code rooms, radar, a cold-storage plant, a glass-walled servicemen's club and a movie theater, along with a 10,000-foot runway, all at a cost of $23 million.
The base was used for forward deployment of B-47 Stratojet
B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
bombers and support units.
Boulhaut was closed in about 1963 and turned over to the Moroccan government. Analysis of aerial imagery shows that the condition of the runway, taxiways and parking apron indicate that the facility is still in use, possibly as a Moroccan Air Force axillary airfield with minimum staffing. Several small transport aircraft are parked on the apron.
A small hangar and control tower is visible, with most former USAF facilities having been removed. Some buildings to the southwest of the runway are in a state of abandonment, possibly after USAF use, along with several water towers and streets which are the only remains of the American presence.