Air Force Base Makhado

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
IATA: none ICAO: FALM
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
Website	www.af.mil.za
Map
FALM Location in Limpopo
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 10/28 4,020 13,189 Asphalt 10L/28R 500 1,640 Asphalt

The base motto is Castrum Borealis (Fortress of the North).

Units hosted

• 2 Squadron – Fighter squadron
• 85 Combat Flying School
• 102 Squadron – Light transport (reserve)
• 515 Squadron – Security services
• 3 Air Servicing Unit – Maintenance support

History

The 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

• List of longest runways

References

1. 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

• Official site Archived 28 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine