Laikipia Air Base

Laikipia Air Base KAF Nanyuki Nanyuki Air Base
Nanyuki, Laikipia County in Kenya
Laikipia Air Base Shown within Kenya
Coordinates	00°01′51″N 037°01′31″E / 0.03083°N 37.02528°ECoordinates: 00°01′51″N 037°01′31″E / 0.03083°N 37.02528°E
Type	Air Base
Site information
Owner	Kenya Defence Forces
Operator	Kenya Air Force
Site history
Built	1973/4
In use	1974-present
Airfield information
Elevation	1,865 metres (6,119 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 02/20 4,000 metres (13,123 ft) Asphalt

Laikipia Air Base (IATA: n/a, ICAO: n/a) is a Kenya Air Force base located approximately 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) west-northwest of Nanyuki, Kenya.

Laikipia AB was established in 1974 as Nanyuki Air Base and later renamed for the county in which it is located.

History

On February 25, 1974, Nanyuki Air Base was opened by the Kenya Air Force (KAF) as its primary base for fighter aircraft. In June 1974, the KAF's fleet of BAC Strikemaster aircraft were transferred from RAF Eastleigh (later named KAF Eastleigh) to Nanyuki Air Base. Also in 1974, the KAF purchased six Hawker Hunter combat jets from the Royal Air Force and based them at Nanyuki Air Base (which had since its opening been renamed KAF Nanyuki). In 1978, the Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter was introduced to the KAF and also based at Nanyuki, and the following year, Nanyuki became the home of the KAF's fleet of Hawker Siddeley Hawk flight training jets.^[1]

After the a failed coup by a group of KAF officers on August 1, 1982, the Kenya Air Force was disbanded and placed under the control of the Kenyan Army. During this period, KAF Eastleigh was renamed Moi Air Base and KAF Nanyuki was renamed Laikipia Air Base.

In August 2014, gunmen drove into one of the air base's gate and opened fire. One soldier was injured.^[2]

References

1. Ministry of State for Defence, Government of Kenya
2. "Unknown gunmen drive into Laikipia Air Base gate, shoot at soldiers injuring one". standardmedia.co.ke.