RAF Gan
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RAF Gan | |||||||||||
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AMSL 2 m / 6 ft | | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 00°41′29″S 073°09′22″E / 0.69139°S 73.15611°E | ||||||||||
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Location on Addu Atoll in the Maldives | |||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
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Information correct during operational period by the Royal Air Force |
Royal Air Force Gan, commonly known as RAF Gan, is a former
Following the departure of the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1976, the former RAF Gan airfield was developed into a civilian airport, and is now known as Gan International Airport.
History
The area was originally established as a military base for the Royal Navy (RN) in 1941 . Royal Navy engineers began constructing airstrips on Gan island from crushed coral in August 1941 for the Fleet Air Arm (FAA). Around this time, the original inhabitants of Gan were forcibly relocated to the nearby Feydhoo.
The airfield was operational between 1942 and 20 March 1945, as a secondary base for Trincomalee, Ceylon. It was part of HMS Haitan which became HMS Moraga.[1]
During the
In 1956–57, at the request of
It was extensively used as a
The base was used by No. 1125 Marine Craft Unit between 1 May 1970 and 29 March 1976.[4]
RAF Gan today
Following the handover back to the Maldivian Government, the island was left to fall into disrepair for many years, but as funds allowed the airfield was subtly developed into a civil airport now known as Gan International Airport. Most of the base is now a tourist resort called Equator Village: the former military buildings remain and have been converted into rooms and other facilities on the resort. The former military hospital is now a dive centre.
See also
- RAF Hittadu – communications site for RAF Gan
- List of former Royal Air Force stations
References
Citations
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 390.
- ^ "Soviets Fail in Bid for Indian Ocean Base". The Washington Post. 26 October 1977. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ "'Maldives' Dexterous Diplomacy: Global Multilateralism as Foreign Policy". 26 December 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 187.
Bibliography
- Sturtivant, Ray; Ballance, Theo (1994). The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.
- Sturtivant, Ray; Hamlin, John (2007). Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912. ISBN 978-0851-3036-59.