Manas International Airport
Manas International Airport is the civilian airport near the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek. It hosts a United States Air Force facility, originally called Ganci Air Base, and now the Transit Center at Manas. There is a Russian airbase at Kant, approximately 30 km from Manas; Kyrgyzstan is the only country with both Russian and U.S. military air bases.
During the major combat in the Afghanistan War, Kyrgyzstan allowed NATO combat aircraft to fly from Manas, even though Kyrgyzstan does not have a direct border with Afghanistan. Now, it hosts tanker aircraft and is a major intermediate facility for transport. The U.S. 376th Air Expeditionary Wing is the major guest unit, although there is also Spanish and French presence.
While it was closed during the worst of the disturbance in April 2010, it was operating normally by 8 April. [1] The military base has been providing medical supplies to the National Surgical Center and the National Center of Traumatology and Orthopedics[2]
References
- ↑ "Krygyz int'l airport reopened, presidential palace in mess", Xinhua News Agency, 8 April 2010
- ↑ Transit Center helps local hospitals, United States Air Force, 8 April 2010