Incirlik Air Base, a familiar name for decades, was first opened in 1951. It played a key role by housing both Turkish and U.S. Air Force aircraft.
The base underwent name changes throughout its history, starting with Adana Air Base in 1955 before settling on Incirlik Air Base in 1958.
The Turkish Air Force Command categorizes its bases as main jet bases, main transportation bases, and tanker bases. Incirlik previously operated as the 10th Tanker Base Command.
However, the recent relocation of the 152nd combat squadron from Merzifon to Incirlik necessitated a change.
With this deployment, Incirlik transitioned from a tanker base to a main jet base, prompting the official name update to reflect its new role. (ILKHA)