Leeuwarden Air Base

Leeuwarden Air Base Vliegbasis Leeuwarden
Exterior sign for Vliegbasis Leeuwarden
IATA: LWR ICAO: EHLW
Summary
Airport type	Military
Owner	Military of the Netherlands
Operator	Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu)
Location	Leeuwarden, Friesland, Netherlands
Elevation AMSL	1 m / 3 ft
Coordinates	53°13′43″N 05°45′38″E / 53.22861°N 5.76056°E / 53.22861; 5.76056
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 05/23 2,957 9,701 Asphalt 09/27 1,999 6,559 Asphalt

Leeuwarden Air Base (Dutch: Vliegbasis Leeuwarden) is a military airbase used by the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) - Dutch: Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu), (IATA: LWR, ICAO: EHLW). The airbase is one of the two F-16 Fighting Falcon bases of the RNLAF. The airbase lies northwest of the capital of Friesland, Leeuwarden.

Leeuwarden Air Base is also one of the three military airbases (together with Gilze-Rijen Air Base and Volkel Air Base) that organise the twice-in-three-years Luchtmachtdagen ('Air Force Days') of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, consisting of air shows and static exhibits. In 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2016 Leeuwarden Air Base hosted these public demonstration days.

The airport of Leeuwarden was built in 1938, and was used as an airport between Schiphol and Eelde. The airport was used only infrequently at first, but that changed after the Germans had invaded the Low Countries in 1940. The Germans used the airport as a base for their fighter aircraft (including the Messerschmitt Bf 109) and bombers. From the airbase the Germans could reach Great Britain. During World War II, and especially on the 16th and 17th of September, 1944, the airbase was heavily bombed by the British.