Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field
Part of Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range
Gila Bend, Arizona in the United States of America
A US Geological Survey aerial image from 2006
Gila Bend AFAF Location in the United States
Coordinates	32°53′15″N 112°43′12″W / 32.88750°N 112.72000°W / 32.88750; -112.72000
Type	US Air Force auxiliary airfield
Site information
Owner	Department of Defense
Operator	US Air Force
Controlled by	Air Education and Training Command (AETC)
Condition	Operational
Site history
Built	1942 (1942)
In use	1942 – present
Garrison information
Garrison	56th Range Management Office
Airfield information
Identifiers	ICAO: KGXF, FAA LID: GXF, WMO: 747240
Elevation	269.1 metres (883 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 17/35 2,591.4 metres (8,502 ft) asphalt

Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field (ICAO: KGXF, FAA LID: GXF) is a United States Air Force auxiliary airfield used as an emergency landing facility by Luke Air Force Base and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base aircraft and units from other nearby bases using the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range complex. The airfield is located 3.5 miles (3.0 nmi; 5.6 km) south of Interstate 8 and the central business district of Gila Bend, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States.

Although many U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA, this facility is assigned GXF by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA.

History

The facility was opened in July 1942 when it was part of the Gila Bend Gunnery Range. During World War II it was under the command of the 492d (Reduced) Army Air Force Base Unit, AAF West Coast Training Center. It served as the range headquarters for a massive bombing and gunnery range, now known as the Barry M. Goldwater Range, and for maintenance of the range and range targets. It remained an active Air Force facility manned by USAF personnel until approximately 1995. It was also used as an auxiliary landing field. As of 2011, this role is handled by private contractors utilizing portions of the facility.

Auxiliary fields to Gila Bend AFAF (all on the Goldwater Range) are:

• Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #4: 32°43′11″N 112°51′14″W / 32.71972°N 112.85389°W / 32.71972; -112.85389
• Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #5: 32°49′05″N 112°54′54″W / 32.81806°N 112.91500°W / 32.81806; -112.91500
• Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #6: 32°53′05″N 112°48′59″W / 32.88472°N 112.81639°W / 32.88472; -112.81639

Facilities

Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field has one runway designated Rwy 17/35 with an asphalt surface measuring 8,500 ft × 150 ft (2,591 m × 46 m).