Wujah Al Hajar Air Base

Hamat Air Base, (Arabic: قاعدة حامات الجوية) formerly known as Pierre Gemayel International Airport, is a Lebanese Air Force base in Hamat, Lebanon.^[1] It was built in the mid-1970s. The airport was however never used for civilian purposes. Although its heavily damaged runway (numerous holes as result of airstrikes) has been patched, the airfield is currently used only by the Lebanese Air Force with MD-530F Defenders helicopters and Super Tucano light attack aircraft. The airfield is also used by the Special Forces school.

Hamat Air Base
Arabic: قاعدة حامات الجوية
Hamat, North Governorate in Lebanon
Site information
Type	Air Base
Owner	Lebanese Armed Forces
Operator	Lebanese Air Force
Location
Hamat Air Base Shown within Lebanon
Coordinates	34°17′0″N 35°42′0″E
Site history
Built	1970 (1970)s
In use	1970s - present
Airfield information
Identifiers	ICAO: Z19O
Elevation	256 metres (840 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 05/23 1,828 metres (5,997 ft) Asphalt

History

Originally, in 1975, a rudimentary dirt runway was established in Jounieh to accommodate military traffic that were diverted from Beirut. However, it was replaced by a new larger airport, being Pierre Gemayel International Airport. Construction of Pierre Gemayel International Airport began in 1976, and it was intended to accommodate joint-military and civilian operations. However, before completion, it came under control of the Syrian Army, which used it for its helicopters. In 2005, the Lebanese Army regained control of the airport and used it primarily for military operations.^[2]

Air base aircraft

The base has the following aircraft:^[3]

• 5 Embraer A-29B Super Tucano counter insurgence planes
• 5 McDonnell Douglas MD-530F light attack helicopters (6 delivered:,^[4] one crashed on 5 January 2022:^[5])