Air Force Base Makhado (ICAO: FALM), formerly Air Force Base Louis Trichardt, is an airbase of the South African Air Force. It is the SAAF's northernmost base, situated at Louis Trichardt near the border with Zimbabwe, as well as being its most modern, and is known unofficially as Fighter Town, RSA.
AFB Makhado | |||||||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||||||
| Operator | South African Air Force | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Louis Trichardt, Limpopo, South Africa | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 3,069 ft / 935 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 23°09′36″S 029°41′48″E / 23.16000°S 29.69667°E | ||||||||||||||
| Website | www.af.mil.za | ||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||
  FALM Location in Limpopo | |||||||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||||||
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The base motto is Castrum Borealis (Fortress of the North).
Units hosted
edit- 2 Squadron – Fighter squadron
- 85 Combat Flying School
- 102 Squadron – Light transport (reserve)
- 515 Squadron – Security services
- 3 Air Servicing Unit – Maintenance support
History
editThe base was officially opened on 14 October 1987 as AFB Louis Trichardt, but changed its name to match that of the nearby town on 7 November 2003. The town has since reverted to its old name, but the base name remains unchanged. The base uses cheetahs to control wildlife.[1]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Koren, Marina (11 December 2015). "Why South Africa's Air Force Lets Cheetahs Roam Its Bases". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020.
External links
edit- Official site Archived 28 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine
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