Aviano Air Base

Aviano Air Base
Part of United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE)
Located near: Aviano, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
A 31st Fighter Wing F-16 Fighting Falcon at Aviano AB
Coordinates	46°01′53″N 012°35′49″E / 46.03139°N 12.59694°E / 46.03139; 12.59694 (Aviano AB)
Site history
Built	1911
In use	1954–present
Garrison information
Past commanders	Col. Luca Cappelli (AMI) Brig. Gen. Scott Zobrist (USAF)

Airfield information
IATA: AVB ICAO: LIPA
Summary
Elevation AMSL	410 ft / 125 m
Coordinates	46°01′53″N 012°35′49″E / 46.03139°N 12.59694°E / 46.03139; 12.59694Coordinates: 46°01′53″N 012°35′49″E / 46.03139°N 12.59694°E / 46.03139; 12.59694
Website	www.aviano.af.mil
Map
LIPA Location of Aviano Air Base
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 05/23 9,800 2,987 Concrete
Sources: official site and DAFIF

Aviano Air Base (IATA: AVB, ICAO: LIPA) is a NATO base in northeastern Italy, in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. It is located in the Aviano municipality, at the foot of the Carnic Pre-Alps, or Southern Carnic Alps, about 15 kilometers from Pordenone.

The Italian Air Force has ownership and administrative control of the base and hosts the U.S. Air Force's 31st Fighter Wing.

The 31st FW is the only U.S. fighter wing south of the Alps. This strategic location makes the wing critical to operations in NATO's southern region. The 31st FW maintains two F-16 fighter squadrons, the 555th Fighter Squadron and the 510th FS, allowing the wing to conduct offense and defensive combat air operations.

In peacetime, the 31st FW prepares for its combat role by maintaining aircraft and personnel in a high state of readiness. The base is one of six NATO sites in Europe which hold tactical nuclear weapons.

Aviano Air Base was established by the Italian government in 1911, and was used as training base for Italian pilots and construction facility for aircraft parts. During World War I, Italy used the airfield in missions against the Austro-Hungarian and German armies. At that time, two Italian aviators, Captain Maurizio Pagliano and Lieutenant Luigi Gori, conducted an unauthorized, but heroic and successful, air raid on the Austrian naval yards in Pula, in what is now Croatia. In their honor, the base's name was officially changed to Aeroporto Pagliano e Gori, in 1919. During the war the airfield was also overrun by the Austro-German army in the months between November 1917 to November 1918. Between the two wars the airfield was again used as a training base.