Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar (Space Image Photos)

DigitalGlobe ^ | DigitalGlobe

[advocate10]

Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
25°06'57"N 51°18'55"E

New imagery from Space Imaging's Ikonos and DigitalGlobe's Quick Bird reveal continued construction at Al Udeid Airbase.

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Credit: DigitalGlobe. Copyright (c) DigitalGlobe. All RIGHTS RESERVED. Contact Chuck Herring for media permission or purchase at 1-(800)496-1225 or cherring@digitalglobe.com
Imagery of Al Udeid Air Base		For more Public Eye satellite imagery, see the Picture of the Week Gallery of satellite and other imagery of places in the news. Al Udeid Air Base Satellite Imagery Updated Satellite Imagery Weapons Storage Areas Prepositioning Installations Tent City Orbat Ground Truth
Click on the small image to view a larger version
Overview of the Middle East with Qatar in the center	The Persian Gulf with Qatar in the center
CIA Map Qatar 1995	NIMA 1:500,000 Tactical Pilotage Chart of with an Ikonos browse image of the Al Udeid air base overlayed
Ikonos imagery overview of Al Udeid as of January 13, 2002	New Digital Globe imagery of Al Udeid as of June 13, 2002
Ikonos imagery of a new 18 acre parking ramp under construction as of January 13, 2002	Digital Globe imagery of the completed parking ramp with 8 KC-135R Tankers and a C-17 visible as of June 13, 2002
The shadows cast by the sun reveal a faceted design that reduces the visual and radar signature of the aircraft shelter	Digital Globe imagery of the new generation aircraft shelter. The facility is constructed of hardened concrete and has four separate entrances. Interior dimensions are approximatley 1.7 acres or 76,000 square feet. Depending on parking arangements and type of aircraft, the shelter can house between 20 and 40 aircraft
Ikonos imagery of a new generation of US aircraft shelter. There are two such shelters Al Udeid, one at the North end of the airbase, and this one at the South end	This Digital Globe image shows how effective the faceting can be in reducing the signature of the facility. Both shelters are identical in layout
Ikonos imagery from January of 2002, showing the beginings of a probable Air Operations Center or Army Command Post. Power generators are visible in the lower right of the image	By June 2002, this Digital Globe image shows a security barrier protecting the compound. Concertina wire provides an interior barrier for the command post area and a separate sub-divided area is a probable SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Intelligence Facility)
Ikonos imagery of the 1 million-gallon fuel farm facility. Each of the 20 fuel bladders has a capacity of 50,000 gallons	Digital Globe imagery from June 13, 2002, shows no change in capacity
Ikonos imagery from January 2002, reveals 3 KC-10 cargo/refueling aircraft, and two KC-135s	Digital Globe imagery from June 2002, shows little change in the Orbat, 5 KC-10 Extenders
In addition to the new hardened shelters at each end of the runway, there are 12 drive-thru shelters	Each shelter is capable of holding one or possibly two fighters
Al Udeid is served by a low-profile control tower and a hardened base ops/command post. A yellow fire truck is visible	There are 3 hardened shelter/underground facilties on the airbase, one located in the weapon storage area, one near the control tower and the third, west of the tent- city. Each shelter is identical in construction and measures 30 x 40 meters. Depending on whether there are more than one story, the estimated usable space is between 12,000 and 24,000 square feet. Each shelter has a personal entrance and a larger vehicle entrance

 

[advocate10]

Preparation for Iraq!

[Redcloak]

The Iraqis are obviously looking at these photos. But the real question is: Are "our friends" the Saudis look at them?!

[advocate10]

I think these photos are all over the net by now. Everybody knows.

[Aggie Mama]

You think there would be a way that the US could prohibit these idiots from taking/publishing these photos. Maybe some well-placed space garbage in the vacinity of their satellites.

[onedoug]

These so-called "commerical" sats can likely be disabled in a heartbeat.

[tanknetter]

Preparation for Iraq!

Not necessarily. They might be in preparation for some sort of breach between the US and Saudi Arabia that results in US forces being evicted from the Kingdom

I think the US learned its lesson on redundancy in the early 1990s when we were kicked out of Clarke and Subic Bay and had to figure out a way to fall back to Guam ...

[LiteKeeper]

Can you spell "Iraqi Target List"? Wow - never has more been given away prior to a military action! This is incredible!

On the other hand, maybe the whole thing is a ruse to get the Iraqis all in a tizzy - and let them sweat, and that we never had any plans to invade. Who knows?

[Uncle Miltie]

"Preparation for Iraq!"

After which, Iran will fall with the push of a feather, or all on its own. Syria will be surrounded by friendlies, and useless. Next stop, Mecca!

[Mark17]

I think the US learned its lesson on redundancy in the early 1990s when we were kicked out of Clarke and Subic Bay and had to figure out a way to fall back to Guam ...

I spent some time at Clark myself, but I always thought the Philippine government wanted too much money for us to stay there, so we left on our own.

[The Vast Right Wing]

I had read that the U.S. had purchased use of all the private satellite imagery that could be used by our enemies. Apparently that is not the case anymore.

[Khurkris]

"I spent some time at Clark myself, but I always thought the Philippine government wanted too much money for us to stay there, so we left on our own."

Your view is much closer to reality. A shame we left, but the volcano helped our adios also. And by the by, we still have assets there.

[Mark17]

Your view is much closer to reality. A shame we left, but the volcano helped our adios also. And by the by, we still have assets there.

Yes, Pinatubo was another factor. Too bad, I could still have traveled to Clark, being retired Air Force. I have been told they have turned Clark into a big business park, and many Americans still live in Angeles City. If I was going to live there, and I might, I would live in Baguio City. It is nice and cool all the time, because of the altitude.

[section9]

What really impresses the hell out of me is the number of KC-135R's. Eight of those momma's are sitting on the ground. Makes you wonder how many are in the air and what our surge capability is.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[advocate10]

Ping.

[irish_lad]

Let's light the engines and get down to business!

[VaBthang4]

Looks like nothing more than an air refueling base.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The business may be getting an early start:

Turkish Claws on Northern Iraq

[advocate10]

LOL.

[advocate10]

Then why all the C-17's and space for fighter revetments? See also:

Turkish Claws on Northern Iraq