Incirlic Air Base

Incirlik Airbase

Incirlik Air Base (Turkish: İncirlik Hava Üssü, English: Incirlik Air Base, abbreviated Incirlik AB, IATA code: UAB, ICAO code: LTAG) is a military base near İncirlik, close to Adana in southern Turkey. It is owned by the Turkish Air Force. However, since its construction, the largest user has been the United States Air Force, which established its main hub for supplying US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan here after September 11, 2001. Between January 2016 and September 2017, the base was also used by the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. The air base has one runway, oriented 05/23, with a length of 3,048 meters.

ICAO	LTAG
IATA	UAB
Coordiantes	37° 0´ 8" N 35° 25´ 33" E
Hight	240 ft MSL
Runways	05/23 3048 m x 45 m Beton
ILS	05 049°T 109.3 (IDAN) 23 229°T 111.7 (IDNA)
TACAN	21 X (DAN)

History

Construction was decided upon at the Second Cairo Conference in December 1943 and involved land that the Ottoman Empire had acquired through expropriation from the Armenian population following the massacres during the Armenian Genocide beginning in 1915. In the spring of 1951, Turkish and US soldiers began construction work on the new base, which was originally intended as a training area. A 10,000-foot (3,048-meter) runway was completed in November 1954. On December 6, 1954, the Turkish and US armed forces agreed to joint use of the base, which was named Adana Air Base on February 21, 1955, and from that point onward, it was part of the United States Air Forces in Europe. The first American unit stationed at the airbase was the 7216th Air Base Squadron.

Adana Air Base In the 1950s, the purpose of the airbase changed from the initial decision in 1943: it was now to serve as an alternate base for long-range bomber operations and to support all US Air Force activities in southern Turkey. In October 1955, a fuel pipeline from the Mediterranean port of Yumurtalık, located about 50 kilometers to the southeast, was put into operation. The USAF changed the name of the military airfield to Incirlik Air Base on February 28, 1958. During the Lebanon Crisis in the summer of 1958, up to 150 USAF aircraft were stationed at Incirlik, including B-57s, RB-66/WB-66s, F-86Ds, F-100s, and RF-101s. After the crisis, the F-100s were the most frequent visitors to the base; they were later replaced by F-4s, F-15s, and F-16s.

Runways 05/23

Runway. Runway 05/23 is 10,000 ft. long x 148 ft. wide. It is made of a grooved concrete surface and has non-standard overruns for both Runway 05 and Runway 23. The Runway 05 overrun is 540 ft. long, and the Runway 23 overrun is 484 ft. long.

Non-standard LZ markings exists on Runway 05/23 and are used by the TurAF.

Taxiways and Parking Ramps

Taxiways Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, November, and Sierra are 75 ft. wide equipped with 50 ft.-wide paved shoulders.

Hotel and India Loop Taxiway are 39 ft. wide. Golf Loop is 75 ft. Wide. The loops are restricted to aircraft with wingspans less than 110 ft.

There are six parking ramps (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, and Foxtrot). USAF has operational control of Alpha ramp, Echo ramp, Foxtrot ramp, and Bravo ramp spots one through six. TurAF has operational control of Charlie ramp, Delta ramp, and Bravo ramp spots seven through nine.

Aerodrome Chart LTAG

Apron Parking Capabilities

AlpHA	Up to three C-5 Galaxy
BRAVO	Up to eight C-17 Globemaster Up to nine KC-135 Wingspan < 170 ft
CHARLIE	Mainly used for Helicopters
DELTA	Mainly used for KC-135
ECHO	Up to four KC-135
FOXTROTT	Up to four KC-135
GOLF	Protective Aircraft Shelter (PAS) Wingspan < 35 ft
HOTEL	Protective Aircraft Shelter (PAS) Wingspan < 35 ft
INDIA	Protective Aircraft Shelter (PAS) Wingspan < 35 ft
VICTOR	Protective Aircraft Shelter (PAS) Wingspan < 35 ft

ALPHA, BRAVO, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrott Areas

Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, and Foxtrot Ramps, and Golf, Hotel, India, and Victor Loops are restricted areas. Personnel must have authorization to use these areas and enter though the entry control points where applicable. Personnel shall have a restricted area badge displayed on their person at all times while within the restricted areas. NOTE: Deployed personnel are not issued Incirlik Air Base restricted area badges but are required to meet other restricted access requirements

Ground support equiptment

Mobile ground support equipment may be located near aprons, but must be positioned no closer than 115ft from the apron edge or within a designated site approved by authorities for equipment storage.

Mobile ground support equipment used to actively service aircraft may be placed on aprons three hours prior to an aircraft arrival or three hours after an aircraft departure. This equipment must not impede on wingtip clearances for other aircraft not being serviced ornearby taxi routes.

Aerospace ground equipment, electrical carts, forklifts, tow bar trailers, fire extinguisher carts, material-handling equipment, flight line maintenance stands, stair trucks, and portable floodlights actively servicing aircraft may temporarily impede on safety clearances of non-serviced aircraft when under supervision of support personnel.

Arm/De-Arm Areas

Taxiways Alpha North and Echo North are authorized as the primary arm/de-arm areas.

Arm/De-Arm Area Behaviour

Drag CHute Jettison Areas

Taxiways Alpha and Echo are designated as drag chute jettison locations. Aircraft will release their chutes on either side of the taxiway as dictated by the wind direction. ATC Tower may require that aircraft use areas other than designated locations.

TurAF and deployed units are responsible for recovery of their chutes, however, if safety of flight is a concern, ATC Tower will notify TA for drag chute recovery.

Hazardous/dangerous Cargo

Foxtrot Ramp is the primary location for parking aircraft with hazardous cargo. Echo Ramp is the secondary location. Alpha Ramp, Bravo Ramp, and Hardstand 15 are alternate locations with limited capability to support hazardous cargo when certain conditions are met. Coordination with Wing Weapons Safety (39 ABW/SEW) required prior to using these locations as hazardous cargo parking areas.

The intersection of Taxiway November and Taxiway Charlie North is designated as the primary hazardous cargo pad for Logistics Support Aircraft missions. The secondary location is the intersection of Taxiway November and India Loop. Coordination with authorities is required prior to use of either location. Tower will notify authorities when the aircraft departs November Taxiway.

Forward Firing Munitions. Weapon systems such as guns, rockets, missiles, and flare dispensers pose an additional hazard (beyond their explosives hazard) because of their directional response and potential long range if inadvertently activated on the ground. Prior to coordinating parking requirements for these types of aircraft, contact 39 ABW/SEW, Weapons Safety.

To minimize the additional hazard, aircrew and maintenance personnel will comply with the following: Position aircraft to present the minimum hazard to personnel and resources in the event of a mishap. Do not unnecessarily stand or park vehicles in front of, or behind, these munitions when power is applied to the aircraft. Finally, all aircraft must use caution not to aim Forward Firing Munitions, even momentarily, at the Explosive Cargo Areas Delta or Mike when operations are conducted on those spots.

Hot pit refueling

Foxtrot ramp is the primary pit refueling area.

Alpha Apron is the secondary hot pit refueling location. Hot pit operations will be conducted in the center of the apron between Alpha Spot 3 and Taxiway Sierra.

Noise abatement procedures

Aircraft shall avoid overflying the city of Adana below 3,300 ft. MSL and within 5 nautical miles laterally.

In VFR, aircraft shall avoid overflying the city of Mersin below 5,300 ft. MSL unless inbound for an approach to Incirlik Air Base or if approved by ATC.

Aircraft shall not fly circling approaches below 1,500 ft. MSL south of Runway 05/23 during Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) for noise abatement over base housing and Incirlik village. Refer to the Enroute Supplement for VFR pattern availability

Aircraft taxi procedures

Aircrew must request permission to taxi from ATC Ground Control prior to taxiing. Aircrew will monitor the ATIS broadcast and will report having received ATIS information to Ground Control when requesting taxi clearance.

Heavy aircraft should avoid using outboard engines to the maximum extent possible to minimize FOD.

Flying Areas

The Adana Military Terminal Control Area (MTCA) is designated as the local flying area and is defined as a 50 NM circle around the Incirlik TACAN from 1,000 ft. AGL to FL 280.

All aircraft must contact Incirlik Approach Control prior to entering the Adana MTCA. Aircrews receiving clearance to leave an ATC frequency must continuously monitor an emergency frequency (243.0/121.5) and report their return back to the assigned ATC frequency.

The MTCA is joint use, dual jurisdiction airspace with USAF controllers providing ATC services to US military aircraft, as well as Department of Defense (DoD) and NATO contracted aircraft chartered for US forces. TurAF controllers provide ATC services to all other aircraft.

Incirlik Arrival Control Airspace. The airspace within 20 NM radius of the DAN TACAN from 1,000 ft. MSL up to and including 5,000 ft. MSL. Excludes Incirlik and Adana Airport airspace.

Approach Control Airspace. The airspace within 50 NM radius of the DAN TACAN from 1,000 ft. MSL up to and including FL 280. Excludes Arrival airspace.

Incirlik Airport Airspace (DAN). The airspace within 5 NM of Incirlik Air Base from the surface up to and including 3,300 ft. MSLAdana Airport Airspace (ADA). The airspace within 10 NM of Adana Airport from the surface up to 1000 ft. MSL. NOTE: Incirlik and Adana Towers’ airspaces overlap. There is approximately 3 miles between runways and approximately 12 miles between the DAN TACAN and ADA VOR

Patriot Airspace. FL 110 to FL 240 (directly south of Incirlik)

Overflight to the north of Incirlik Air Base’s runway is strictly prohibited

No fly area

The LTD-19 no-fly area (surface to unlimited) is an oil tanker on-loading terminal on the Bay of Iskenderun. Aircraft will be vectored to avoid LTD-19.

Local Training Area

LTD-13 is a TurAF see and avoid, air-to-air range designated as a "Danger Zone" that extends from the surface to FL280. The airspace may be segmented vertically to provide for multiple operations.

Aircraft shall coordinate with Incirlik Approach as soon as possible of their intention to use LTD-13 (altitudes requesting and duration). Pilots must advise RAPCON if guns will be hot when requesting entry. Incirlik Approach will coordinate with the TurAF Controllers prior to allowing any aircraft into LTD-13. Approval authority for use of LTD- 13 rests with TurAF RAPCON. TurAF aircraft have priority use of LTD-13 and at times will invoke that privilege.

Simultaneous USAF and TurAF operations in LTD-13 are not allowed unless specifically agreed to with the TurAF controller on duty, or planned and scheduled for joint-training exercises

Aircraft will enter LTD-13 via the DAN TACAN 180 radial at 32 distance measuring equipment (DME) at the altitude assigned by Incirlik Approach. Aircraft will automatically become VFR and Radar service will be terminated at the DAN R-180/32 DME fix.

Aircraft will operate VFR within the confines of LTD-13 and shall remain on assigned beacon code.

Aircrews will monitor guard (121.5/243.0) and the assigned control frequency at all times while operating in LTD-13 and will immediately acknowledge and comply with any control instructions.

Aircrews must contact Incirlik RAPCON for approval prior to entering or departing LTD-13. Aircraft shall exit LTD-13 VFR at 4,000 ft. MSL at the DAN R-180/32 DME fix and inform Incirlik Approach if requesting to return to base VFR or IFR, and if the aircraft will be returning as a flight or single ship

Airspaces around LTAG

Airspaces

Symbol	Name	Conditions
Circle Blue	ADANA MCTA and Approach	50 NM 1000 ft AGL to FL 280
Circle Red	Incirlic Arrival	20 NM 1000 ft MSL to 5000 ft MSL
Object Green	Incirlic CTR	surface to 3000 ft AGL
Circle Black	Incirlic Tower	5 NM surface to 3300 ft MSL
Circle Pink	Adana Airport Airspace	10 NM surface to 1000 ft MSL
Square Blue	LTD-19	NO FLY AREA suface to unlimited
Square Blue	LTD-13	AIR TO AIR RANGE (DANGER AREA) surface to FL 280