Bagram Airfield, also referred to as Bagram Air Base, is one of the largest U.S. military bases in Afghanistan. It comes with a dual-runway militarized airport and is located next to the ancient city of Bagram, 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) southeast of Charikar in Parwan province of Afghanistan. The base is run by a U.S. Army division headed by a major general, however, the United States Air Force 455th Air Expeditionary Wing manages the flight line, the ramp, and most of the area involving air mission resources (about one third of the base).
The base is currently occupied and maintained by the Combined Joint Task Force 1st Infantry Division (CJTF-1), having taken over from the 1st Cavalry Division in the Spring of 2012. The airfield is occupied and maintained by 10th Combat Aviation Brigade (Task Force Falcon) and 3-10 GSAB (Task Force Phoenix) of the U.S. Army, with the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing of the U.S. Air Force and other U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, and NATO/ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) coalition partner units having sizable tenant populations. In addition, the U.S. government regional platform for the east is at the base, staffed by civilians.
The ICAO ID is OAIX and it is specifically at 34.944N, 69.259E at 1,492 metres (4,895 ft) above sea level. Bagram Airfield has two runways, one is 3,003 metres (9,852 ft) long that was built in 1976. The other is 3,500 metres (11,500 ft) long, which was built and completed by the United States in late 2006. There are three large hangars, a control tower, and numerous support buildings. There are also more than 32 acres (130,000 m²) of ramp space and five aircraft dispersal areas, with a total of over 110 revetments. Many support buildings and base housing built by the Soviet Armed Forces during their occupation were destroyed by years of fighting between various warring Afghan factions after the Soviets left. New barracks and office buildings are slowly being constructed at the present time.
The Parwan Detention Facility at Bagram has been criticized in the past for its abusive treatment of prisoners. In May 2010, the International Committee of the Red Cross revealed that since August 2009 it was informed about inmates of a second prison where detainees are held in isolation and without access to the International Red Cross that is usually guaranteed to all prisoners.
Read more about Bagram Airfield: History, Airlines and Destinations, Detention Facility At The Base, Heathe Craig Joint Theater Hospital, Accidents and Incidents