Baledogle Airfield

Baledogle Airfield, also known as Wanlaweyn Airstrip is a military airbase located in the district of Wanlaweyn in Lower Shabelle region of Somalia. It is situated approximately 60 miles northwest of Mogadishu, halfway to the city of Baidoa.[1]

Baledogle Airfield
Lower Shabelle, Somalia
Baledogle Airfield is located in Somalia
Baledogle Airfield
Baledogle Airfield
Location in Somalia
Coordinates2°40′20″N 44°47′5″E
TypeAir force base
Airfield information
Elevation298 ft (91 m) AMSL

The airbase presently serves as a command center for US drone operations in Somalia and as the training center for the Danab Brigade.[2][3]

History

Post Independence

The base was formerly known as 'Beledal Amin' Airfield and was lengthened to 10,500 feet and paved in 1975.[4] The airport served as a base for the Somali Air Force and had been in part built by the Soviets.[5][6][7]

Civil war and United Nations intervention

On 13 December 1992, Baledogle airfield was secured with the assistance of 12 AH-1 Cobra helicopters.[8] US army forces established an initial operating base at Baledogle to lead relief efforts in the area and further south in the Kismayo, Beledweyne, and Merca humanitarian relief sectors.[9] During UNOSOM II, the airport was home to elements of the US 10th Mountain Division.[10]

War on Terror

Following the 2007 U.S. intervention in Somalia, Baledogle Airfield (referred to as Camp Baledogle) became used as a training center and base of operations for AMISOM peacekeepers, AFRICOM and American drones.[11][12][5] Starting 2014, the Somali commando Danab Brigade was trained and headquartered at the camp.[13][14][15] JSOC was also reported to have started operating at the base sometime around 2016.[16]

US Special Forces have a range day with Danab Brigade commandos at the airfield in April 2021.

In 2018 the U.S. Department of Defense gave out an over $12 million dollar contract for emergency runway repairs at the base. According to the Air Force Times, new runway repairs appeared to be aimed at stepping up the capabilities of the airfield and possibly expanding the US military footprint in Somalia.[5] Infrastructure at the airbase was expanded with 800 units of accommodation for American troops from June 2017 to May 2018.[17] The buildup coincided with an escalation by U.S. forces in their fight against al Qaida-linked al-Shabaab.[18]

U.S. Marines with Charlie Company at Baledogle in 2020

September 2019 Attack

Later referred to as "the most formidable publicly known attacks on U.S. forces in Somalia in 30 years", on 30 September 2019 Al-Shabaab militants attacked the base with car bombs and infantry.[19] According to military officials, the militants had been repulsed without breaching the perimeter fence, and no casualties had been taken.[11] Despite the successful defence, it was noted that the attack showed Al-Shabaab maintained a good intelligence network and possessed the capability to carry out complex operations.[20][11]

Facilities
A US drone operator launches a drone at Baledogle Airfield, February 2018

The airfield has one runway labeled as 04/22 that measures 10,500 feet long. The airfield now has six constructed hangars by the American support mission; it previously only had one, which had been destroyed during the civil war. There had been multiple sets of barracks to the north, east, south, and west of the runway, but those were abandoned and decomposed quickly after the start of the civil war.

The buildup coincided with an escalation by U.S. forces in their fight against al Qaida-linked al-Shabaab.[18] The airfield is host to a regular contingent of US Marines and a Special Forces team. It is currently the headquarters of the Danab Brigade.[14]

References
  1. Fitzgerald, Nina J. (2002). Somalia : issues, history and bibliography. New York: Nova Science Publ. p. 28. ISBN 1590332652.
  2. TERRORISM IN THE EU. p. 51.
  3. Stars and Stripes Main Edition 2019-10-01. p. 6.
  4. "MILITARY/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA" (PDF). Central Intelligence Agency. 1 January 1975. p. 4. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  5. Rempfer, Kyle (2018-10-04). "Secret US base in Somalia is getting some 'emergency runway repairs'". Air Force Times. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  6. "Somalia: Al Shabaab Preparing for 'All-Out War'?". Stratfor. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  7. Hammer, Joshua. "Somalia's Somewhat Friendly Skies". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  8. Aerospace Publishing. WAP 14. p. 22.
  9. Department of Defense appropriations for 1995 : hearings before a subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Third Congress, second session. Boston Public Library. Washington : U.S. G.P.O. : For sale by the U.S. G.P.O., Supt. of Docs., Congressional Sales Office. 1994. p. 276. ISBN 978-0-16-046051-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  10. U.S. News & World Report 1993-01-11: Vol 114 Iss 1. Internet Archive. US News & World Report. 1993-01-11. p. 37.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  11. "Somalia: Jihadists attack US training base at Baledogle". BBC News. 2019-09-30. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  12. "Exclusive: U.S. Operates Drones From Secret Bases in Somalia". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  13. Houreld, Katharine (10 September 2022). "U.S. troops are back in Somalia and scrambling to help its special forces". Washington Post.
  14. "US helps Somali commando force grow from battalion to brigade". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  15. Building The Somali National Army Anatomy Of A Failure 2008 2018. 2019-03-04. p. 9.
  16. The Assassination Complex: Inside the Government's Secret Drone Warfare Program. p. 107.
  17. Goldbaum, Christina (3 May 2018). "Exclusive: Massive military base buildup suggests the US shadow war in Somalia is only getting bigger". Vice Media. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  18. "Exclusive: Massive military base buildup suggests the U.S. shadow war in Somalia is only getting bigger". VICE News. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
  19. Sakelaris, Nicholas (September 30, 2019). "Car bombs target U.S. military base in Somalia". UPI. Al-Shabab militants attacked a U.S. airbase in Somalia Monday with a combination of car bombs and small arms fire, authorities said. The group claimed responsibility for the attack at the Ballidogle air base, located about 55 miles from the capital Mogadishu.
  20. "Twin Somali attacks hit U.S. special forces base, Italian convoy". Reuters. 2019-09-30. Retrieved 2022-12-29.


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