Laikipia Air Base
| Laikipia Air Base Nanyuki Air Base  | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nanyuki, Laikipia County in Kenya | |||||||
  Laikipia Air Base Shown within Kenya | |||||||
| Coordinates | 00°01′51″N 037°01′31″E / 0.03083°N 37.02528°ECoordinates: 00°01′51″N 037°01′31″E / 0.03083°N 37.02528°E | ||||||
| Type | Air Base | ||||||
| Site information | |||||||
| Owner | Kenya Defence Forces | ||||||
| Operator | Kenya Air Force | ||||||
| Site history | |||||||
| Built | 1973/4 | ||||||
| In use | 1974-present | ||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||
| Elevation | 1,865 metres (6,119 ft) AMSL | ||||||
| |||||||
Laikipia Air Base (IATA: n/a, ICAO: n/a) is a Kenya Air Force base located approximately 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) west-northwest of Nanyuki, Kenya.
Laikipia AB was established in 1974 as Nanyuki Air Base and later renamed for the county in which it is located.
History
On February 25, 1974, Nanyuki Air Base was opened by the Kenya Air Force (KAF) as its primary base for fighter aircraft. In June 1974, the KAF's fleet of BAC Strikemaster aircraft were transferred from RAF Eastleigh (later named KAF Eastleigh) to Nanyuki Air Base. Also in 1974, the KAF purchased six Hawker Hunter combat jets from the Royal Air Force and based them at Nanyuki Air Base (which had since its opening been renamed KAF Nanyuki). In 1978, the Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter was introduced to the KAF and also based at Nanyuki, and the following year, Nanyuki became the home of the KAF's fleet of Hawker Siddeley Hawk flight training jets.[1]
After the a failed coup by a group of KAF officers on August 1, 1982, the Kenya Air Force was disbanded and placed under the control of the Kenyan Army. During this period, KAF Eastleigh was renamed Moi Air Base and KAF Nanyuki was renamed Laikipia Air Base.
In August 2014, gunmen drove into one of the air base's gate and opened fire. One soldier was injured.[2]