Hurlburt Field

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Coordinates: 30°25′40″N 086°41′22″W / 30.42778, -86.68944

Hurlburt Field
IATA: none – ICAO: KHRT – FAA: HRT
Summary
Airport type Military
Operator United States Air Force
Serves Eglin Air Force Base
Location Mary Esther, Florida
Commander Col. Brad Webb
Occupants 1st Special Operations Wing
Elevation AMSL 38 ft / 12 m
Website www.hurlburt.af.mil
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
18/36 9,600 2,926 Concrete
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Hurlburt Field (ICAO: KHRT, FAA LID: HRT) is a military airport located in Okaloosa County, Florida adjacent to the Eglin Air Force Base reservation, immediately west of the Town of Mary Esther. It is home of the Air Force Special Operations Command headquarters, the USAF Special Operations School and the 1st Special Operations Wing. The installation is nearly 6,700 acres (27 km²), and employs nearly 2,100 military personnel.

Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA, Hurlburt Field is assigned HRT by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA (which assigned HRT to RAF Linton-on-Ouse in Yorkshire, England).[2][3]

Contents

[edit] History

Hurlburt began as a small training field for the much bigger Eglin Air Force Range. It was designated Eglin Auxiliary Field No. 9 before being administratively separated from the rest of Eglin. However, once separated, the facility retained its history and kept all building numbers the same; all start with a "9". Named by Eglin base commander Brigadier General Grandison Gardner for First Lieutenant Donald Wilson Hurlburt, killed in an aircraft crash at the main base in 1943. Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle and his Raiders practiced taking off on a short runway using the short cross-runway near the southern end of Hurlburt Field's main runway.

The field fell into disrepair following World War II, but was reactivated in 1955. Training of airborne warfare specialists began there in 1961. These specialists flew missions in Africa, Southeast Asia, Central America and other places throughout the world. In the early 1970s, the base hosted a wide variety of aircraft types, including A-1E Skyraiders, AC-119G Shadow and AC-119K Stinger gunships, AC-130A Spectre gunships, UC-123Ks with underwing jet pods, OV-10A Forward Air Control Broncos, Cessna O-2 Skymaster FAC aircraft, and long-serving C-47s in support roles. Following the conclusion of the war in Southeast Asia, most reciprocating engine types were retired by the USAF. The Air Force's Special Operations Command continues to fly sensitive operations missions from this field.

The USAF Special Operations School (USAFSOS) trains Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, and US government civilian personnel in a variety of courses. Among the most popular courses are The Dynamics of International Terrorism, and the Middle East Orientation Course. JSOU's lecturers include specialists from the US military, State Department, Central Intelligence Agency, civilian universities, and nongovernmental organizations. To promote frank discussion, JSOU follows a policy of non-attribution of comments by faculty, staff and students.

Operation Northwoods plans called for decoy aircraft to land at this base.

[edit] Facilities

Hurlburt Field has one concrete paved runway (18/36) measuring 9,600 x 150 ft. (2,926 x 46 m).[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b FAA Airport Master Record for HRT (Form 5010 PDF), effective 2007-10-25
  2. ^ Great Circle Mapper: KHRT - Mary Esther, Florida (Hurlburt Field)
  3. ^ Great Circle Mapper: HRT / EGXU - Harrogate, Yorkshire, England (Linton-on-Ouse)

[edit] External links


Image:Flag of the United States Air Force.png
BASES: Cannon Air Force Base • Hurlburt Field
WINGS: 1st Special Operations Wing • 27th Special Operations Wing
GROUPS: 352d Special Operations Group • 353d Special Operations Group • 720th Special Tactics Group • 58th Operations Group
SQUADRONS: 18th Flight Test Squadron • 22d Special Tactics Squadron • 24th Special Tactics Squadron • 320th Special Tactics Squadron • 321st Special Tactics Squadron • 720th Special Tactics Squadron • 7th Special Operations Squadron • 1st Special Operations Squadron • 15th Special Operations Squadron • 550th Special Operations Squadron • 512th Special Operations Squadron • 71st Special Operations Squadron
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