Palmachim Airbase

Palmachim Air Force Base בָּסִיס חֵיל-הַאֲוִויר פַּלְמַחִים‎
IATA: none – ICAO: LL__
Summary
Airport type	Military
Operator	Israeli Air Force
Elevation AMSL	32 ft / 10 m
Coordinates
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 03/21 7,884 2,403 asphalt 13/31 2,636 803 asphalt

The Palmachim Air Force Base (Hebrew: בָּסִיס חֵיל-הַאֲוִויר פַּלְמַחִים‎) is an Israeli military facility and spaceport located near the cities of Rishon LeZion and Yavne on the Mediterranean coast. It is named after nearby Kibbutz Palmachim.

The base is home to several IAF helicopter and UAV squadrons, and serves as a rocket launch site for the Arrow missile.

Palmachim is also used to launch the Shavit space launch vehicle into retrograde orbit by launching over the Mediterranean, acting as Israel's primary spaceport. The launchpad is situated at This ensures that rocket debris falls into water, and that the rocket does not fire over regional neighboring countries near Israel that could use the technology. Palmachim is also used to test ballistic missiles, such as the Jericho.

Recent launches include:

• 11 June 2007 - Ofeq 7 satellite
• 17 January 2008 - version of the Jericho III missile
• 22 June 2010 - Ofeq 9 satellite
• 2 November 2011 - version of the Jericho III missile
• 9 April 2014 - Ofeq 10 satellite

In July 2007, it was agreed that once Sde Dov Airport in Tel Aviv was closed, its military terminal would be transferred to Palmachim although Sde Dov Airport continues to operate.

Units

The current units at Palmachim include:

• 124th Squadron – operating Sikorsky S-70, Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
• 151st Squadron – Missile Testing Squadron
• 160th Squadron – operating AH-1F Cobra
• 166th Squadron – operating Elbit Hermes 450 UAVs
• 200th Squadron – operating IAI Heron UAVs

Orbital launch history

Type of rocket	Date of Launch	Launch Location	Payload	Mission Status
Shavit	September 19, 1988	Palmachim Airbase	Ofeq 1	Success, experimental payload
Shavit	April 3, 1990	Palmachim Airbase	Ofeq 2	Success, experimental payload
Shavit	September 15, 1994	Palmachim Airbase	Ofeq ?	Failure, unknown payload
Shavit-1	April 5, 1995	Palmachim Airbase	Ofeq 3	Success, first Israeli operational satellite in orbit
Shavit-1	January 22, 1998	Palmachim Airbase	Ofeq 4	Failure
Shavit-1	May 28, 2002	Palmachim Airbase	Ofeq 5	Success, second Israeli operational satellite in orbit
Shavit-1	September 6, 2004	Palmachim Airbase	Ofeq 6	Failure
Shavit-2	June 11, 2007	Palmachim Airbase	Ofeq 7	Success, third Israeli operational satellite in orbit
Shavit-2	June 22, 2010	Palmachim Airbase	Ofeq 9	Success
Shavit-2	April 9, 2014	Palmachim Airbase	Ofeq 10	Success

On 17 January 2008 Israel test fired a multi-stage ballistic missile believed to be of the Jericho III type, reportedly capable of carrying "conventional or non conventional warheads." On 2 November 2011, Israel successfully test fired a missile believed to be an upgraded version of the Jericho III; the long trail of smoke was seen throughout central Israel.

External links

• Palmachim Air Force Base (Israel), Jane's Information Group
• Palmachim Airbase, Airports-Worldwide.com
• Palmachim Airbase, Globalsecurity.org