Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis Air Force Base | |
---|---|
Characteristics | |
ICAO code | KLSV |
IATA code | LSV |
Coordinates | |
Height above MSL | 570 m (1870 ft ) |
Transport links | |
Street | I-15 / US 93 / NV 604 |
Runways | |
03R / 21L | 3065 m × 46 m concrete |
03L / 21R | 3085 m × 61 m concrete |
The Nellis Air Force Base (in short: Nellis AFB ) named after William Harrell Nellis is one of the largest air bases of the United States Air Force (USAF), about 13 kilometers northeast of Las Vegas in the state of Nevada area.
The base has existed as Las Vegas Army Air Field since 1941 and was renamed on April 30, 1950 in honor of Lieutenant William Harrell Nellis, a fighter pilot stationed there during World War II , who was shot down over Luxembourg on December 27, 1944 .
Nellis AFB houses a weapons school and the training center for fighter pilots of the US Air Force, the USAF Warfare Center and is therefore also called Home of the Fighter Pilot . The Thunderbirds , the USAF show season with their F-16s , are also at home here.
It is the starting point for the Red Flag , which has been taking place since 1975 , on the occasion of which pilots of the United States Air Force and NATO practice aerial battles and air strikes within the Nellis Range in scenarios that are as realistic as possible .