Lajes Field or Lajes Air Base ( pronounced [ˈlaʒɨʃ] ; Portuguese : Base Aérea das Lajes ), officially designated Air Base No. 4 ( Base Aérea Nº 4 , BA4 ) ( IATA : TER , ICAO : LPLA ), is a multi-use airfield near Lajes and 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Angra do Heroísmo on Terceira Island in the Azores , Portugal . It is home to the Portuguese Air Force Base Aérea N º4 and Azores Air Zone Command ( Portuguese : Comando da Zona Aérea dos Açores ), a United States Air Force detachment unit (operated by the 65th Air Base Group of United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa ), and a regional air passenger terminal. Located about 3,680 km (2,290 mi) east of New York City and about 1,600 km (990 mi) west of Lisbon , Portugal; the base sits in a strategic location midway between North America and Europe in the north Atlantic Ocean .
54-548: LPLA may refer to: Lajes Field Lipoate—protein ligase , an enzyme Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title LPLA . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=LPLA&oldid=932970756 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
108-563: A blimp ( /blɪmp/ ), is an airship (dirigible) without an internal structural framework or a keel. Unlike semi-rigid and rigid airships (e.g. Zeppelins ), blimps rely on the pressure of the lifting gas (usually helium , rather than hydrogen ) inside the envelope and the strength of the envelope itself to maintain their shape. Blimps are known for their use in advertising, surveillance, and as observation platforms due to their maneuverability and steady flight capabilities. Since blimps keep their shape with internal overpressure, typically
162-435: A detachment of Squadron 301 - equipped with Fiat G.91 fighter-bombers - starts to be based at Lajes, this being augmented and becoming Squadron 303 "Jaguares" in 1981. The M w 7.2 Azores Islands earthquake affected Terceira Island. Damage to Lajes Field was minimal, but Portuguese communities throughout the island suffered extensive damage. Military personnel responded with food, shelter, equipment, and manpower. In
216-564: A mid Atlantic safe haven. In 2009 Lajes provided rescue support of shipping lanes across the Atlantic, a safe haven for medical or mechanical emergency situations in aircraft crossing the Atlantic, and support for the USAF's continuing campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan . Fighter, tanker and transport planes frequently stopped there, either east or westbound. The next decade expects to see a rise in
270-590: A much reduced scale, with relevant changes to be implemented from March 2014. In addition to the 65th Air Base Wing, other units at Lajes Field include the U.S. Army Military Traffic Management Command's 1324th Military Port Command in the nearby port of Praia da Vitoria, U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command ’s 729th Air Mobility Support Squadron, Detachment 6 of the Air Force Public Affairs Agency , Detachment 250 - Air Force Office of Special Investigations , DLA Disposition Services , and
324-474: A reduction of more than 400 military personnel and 500 family members by the end of fiscal year 2014. This force reduction is estimated to garner a cost savings of $ 35 million annually. The base supports NATO and non-NATO armed forces assets crossing the Atlantic for transport, VIP, exercise, relief or humanitarian duties. The civilian terminal also plays an important role in support of passenger and cargo airliners, executive, corporate and private jets flying to
378-732: A single mixed unit operating both C-212 and Aérospatiale Puma, the 711 Squadron "Albatrozes" ( Albatrosses ). The resident Portuguese 711 Squadron was deactivated on 30 November 2006. With this act the long-serving Aerospatiale Puma was retired from service. The Puma helicopters were replaced by the modern AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin : the Portuguese government purchased twelve units for SAR, CSAR and Fisheries enforcement. Air Base No.4 received three Merlins on permanent detachment from Esquadra 751 "Pumas" from Air Base No.6 at Montijo , near Lisbon. They saw immediate service starting 1 December 2006. However, maintenance problems developed in
432-697: A sound that he mimicked and pronounced as "blimp"; and that the word then caught on as the nickname for all small non-rigid airships. A 1943 etymology, published in The New York Times , supports a British origin during the First World War when the British were experimenting with lighter-than-air craft. The initial non-rigid aircraft was called the A-limp; and a second version called the B-limp
486-494: A subordinate unified command in the Azores called U.S. Forces Azores (USFORAZ). A small staff of United States Army , United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps personnel composed the joint staff of USFORAZ, serving as the liaison between the U.S. and the Portuguese in the Azores. In the late 1950s, USAF air refueling/tanker aircraft were stationed at Lajes to provide inflight refueling for U.S. aircraft transiting
540-470: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Lajes Field The origin of the Lajes Field dates back to 1928, when Portuguese Army Lieutenant Colonel Eduardo Gomes da Silva wrote a report on the possible construction of an airfield in the plainland of Lajes, for that branch's aviation service ( Portuguese : Aeronáutica Militar ). However,
594-798: Is the home of the 65th Air Base Group , which in turn is subordinate to the United States Air Forces in Europe . The group provides base and en route support for the U.S. Department of Defense, NATO, and other authorized aircraft transiting the installation. Due to the global economic crisis, the US government decided to reduce the military contingent at Lajes to no more than 170 active duty personnel. Families will relocate stateside or elsewhere, several buildings, dorms and homes will be made redundant. This much reduced effective will still be responsible to keep Lajes operational mission active although at
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#1732776673224648-587: Is the owner and operator of 8 of these active ships, including the Hood Blimp, DirecTV blimp, and the MetLife blimp. This blimp is a type of airborne early warning and control aircraft, typically as the active part of a system which includes a mooring platform, communications and information processing. Example systems include the U.S. JLENS and Israeli Aeronautics Defense Skystar 300 . Surveillance blimps known as aerostats have been used extensively in
702-663: The Bermudas and Lajes before going on to Craw Field (Kenitra Air Base) at Port Lyautey. The United States and the United Kingdom transferred control of Lajes back to Portugal in 1946. The Portuguese redesignated Lajes as Air Base No. 4 and assigned it to the air branch of the Portuguese Army. However, talks between the U.S. and Portugal began about extending the American stay in the Azores. A temporary agreement
756-480: The Defense Commissary Agency . Lajes Field is also the home of the 65th Communication Squadron, which provides communication in the form of High Frequency Global Communications Systems (HFGCS), ground radio, ground radar, SatCom (Satellite Communications), and cryptography to the base. Civilian operators may use Terceira Airport/Lajes Air Base after requesting a landing permit according to
810-686: The Atlantic Ocean. Some of the tanker units left Lajes by 1965, but others returned later, especially the USAF Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker . This transfer, coupled with the introduction of newer long-range aircraft, resulted in a gradual decline in Lajes traffic. The Military Air Transport Service (MATS) and its successor, the Military Airlift Command (MAC), became responsible for USAF activities at
864-511: The Azores before flying to their final destination at Port Lyautey (Kenitra), French Morocco . From their base with Fleet Air Wing 15 at Port Lyautey, the blimps of USN Blimp Squadron 14 (ZP-14 or Blimpron 14) conducted night-time anti-submarine warfare (ASW) to search for German U-boats around the Strait of Gibraltar using magnetic anomaly detection (MAD). In 1945, two ZP-14 replacement blimps were sent from Weeksville, North Carolina, to
918-702: The Blimps ;... this afternoon at Capel ". In 1918, the Illustrated London News said that it was "an onomatopœic name invented by that genius for apposite nomenclature, the late Horace Short". The B-class blimps were patrol airships operated by the United States Navy during and shortly after World War I . The Navy learned a great deal from the DN-1 fiasco. The result was the very successful B-type airships. Dr. Jerome Hunsaker
972-722: The British and American armed forces were allowed basing rights in Portugal. Within a month of disembarking on Terceira in October 1943, the Royal Air Force had laid pierced steel planking to lengthen the runway at Lajes Field, allowing the Royal Air Force to begin patrols. The first attack on a German U-boat was conducted in November, sinking the submarine; this attack was followed by a dozen more attacks on U-boats by
1026-722: The Salazar Government's dictatorial rule over Portugal. In 1961, the Portuguese Air Force EICAP (heavy aircraft advanced training unit) was transferred to Lajes, operating Douglas C-47 , Douglas C-54 and later CASA C-212 Aviocar . During the Portuguese Colonial War , from 1961 to 1975, the Air Force Hospital at Lajes operated as the main centre for treatment and rehabilitation of mutilated and heavy burned soldiers of
1080-635: The U.S. as well as obtain military equipment for the Portuguese Armed Forces, including two A-7P Corsair II squadrons and the co-finance of F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft under the Peace Atlantis I program. In August 2010, Portuguese news agencies advised for the termination of the F-22 Raptor plan to use Lajes as a platform for Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) training over the Atlantic Ocean. DoD sources were cited as
1134-542: The US Navy on its dirigible fleet, attempted to design and build a four-place blimp called the "family air yacht" for private fliers which the inventor claimed would be priced below $ 10,000 and easier to fly than a fixed-wing aircraft if placed in production. It was unsuccessful. In 2021, Reader's Digest said that "consensus is that there are about 25 blimps still in existence and only about half of them are still in use for advertising purposes". The Airsign Airship Group
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#17327766732241188-662: The United States and NATO's war fighting capability. In addition, a small commercial aviation terminal handles scheduled and chartered flights from North America and Europe, especially mainland Portugal. It also supervises commercial air traffic with the other islands in the Azorean archipelago and trans-Atlantic refuelling and stopovers for commercial airlines, executive and corporate jets, air cargo haulers, small private aircraft, governmental flights, humanitarian missions, and other flights. Azores Aerial Detachment: Lajes Field
1242-563: The airfield was changed to Air Base No.4 and the Portuguese government expanded the runway, sending troops and equipment to Terceira, including Gloster Gladiator fighters. The military activities in the Azores grew in 1942, as the Gladiators began to be used to support allied convoys, in reconnaissance missions and on meteorological flights. In addition, the first Portuguese Junkers Ju 52 arrived in July 1942 to fly cargo missions. By 1943,
1296-494: The base, and for a while the 1605th Military Airlift Support Wing acted as USAF host unit. Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics. From 1932 to 1968, Portugal was under the dictatorship of António de Oliveira Salazar , yet the U.S. Government maintained friendly relations with his Estado Novo government, especially after 1943. The Cold War military importance of Lajes Field outweighed considerations about
1350-710: The biennial Northern Viking exercise. Lajes Field services aircraft from various nations, including Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela. The airfield was an alternative landing site for the NASA Space Shuttle orbiter and also now plays as the number one diversion airport for medical or mechanical emergency diversion situations for all types of aircraft. An annual average of 50 aircraft of all types divert to Lajes as
1404-420: The development of semi-rigids and rigid airships . Modern blimps are launched somewhat heavier than air (overweight), in contrast to historic blimps. The missing lift is provided by lifting the nose and using engine power, or by angling the engine thrust. Some types also use steerable propellers or ducted fans . Operating in a state heavier than air avoids the need to dump ballast at lift-off and also avoids
1458-484: The direction of Headquarters Azores Air Zone commanded by Portuguese Air Force brigadeiro (equal to a U.S. two-star general). In 1947, the Portuguese Esquadra 41 started to operate from Lajes, equipped with Boeing SB-17 , Grumman HU-16 Albatross , Douglas C-54 Skymaster and, later Sikorsky H-19 helicopters. In 1952, the U.S. Air Force activated the 57th Air Rescue Squadron at Lajes Field, where it
1512-582: The end of February 1944, after which German forces stayed clear of the British and American patrol areas. The Azores enabled British and American airmen to protect Allied shipping in the area. On 1 December 1943, British and U.S. military representatives at RAF Lajes Field signed a joint agreement outlining the roles and responsibilities for the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and United States Navy (USN) at Lajes Field. The agreement established guidelines and limitations for
1566-415: The ferrying of aircraft to Europe via Lajes Field. In return, the US agreed to assist the British in improving and extending existing facilities at Lajes. Air Transport Command transport planes began landing at Lajes Field immediately after the agreement was signed. By the end of June 1944, more than 1,900 American airplanes had passed through this Azorean base. Using Lajes Field, the flying time relative to
1620-428: The first time, Horace Short , already noted for his very apt and original vocabulary, named it "Blimp", adding, "What else would you call it?" Dr. A. D. Topping researched the origins of the word and concluded that the British had never had a "Type B, limp" designation, and that Cunningham's coinage appeared to be the correct explanation. The Oxford English Dictionary notes its use in print in 1916: "Visited
1674-441: The gondola, and in some models are partly steerable. Blimps are the most commonly built airships because they are relatively easy to build and easy to transport once deflated. However, because of their unstable hull, their size is limited. A blimp with too long a hull may kink in the middle when the overpressure is insufficient or when maneuvered too fast (this has also happened with semi-rigid airships with weak keels). This led to
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1728-468: The gondolas for all of those 14 ships. Connecticut Aircraft contracted with U.S. Rubber for its two envelopes and with Pigeon Fraser for its gondolas. The Curtiss-built gondolas were modified JN-4 fuselages and were powered by OX-5 engines . The Connecticut Aircraft blimps were powered by Hall-Scott engines . In 1930, a former German airship officer, Captain Anton Heinen, working in the US for
1782-529: The island or beyond as the central location in the Azores group of islands makes it an ideal spot for refuelling or stopover. In the past five years, large Antonov An-124 and An-225 aircraft have been seen frequently transporting outsized cargo for destinations in North and South America. Lajes provides support to 15,000 aircraft, including fighters from the US and 20 other allied nations. The geographic position has made this airbase strategically important to both
1836-614: The large airlift during the Gulf War . On the first day of the deployment over 90 aircraft transited Lajes. Strategic Air Command (SAC) created a provisional tanker wing , the 802nd Air Refueling Wing (P) Provisional, at Lajes to support the airlift. At the height of the operation a peak of 33 tanker aircraft and 600 troops deployed to Lajes. Soon after the Gulf War ended, Lajes command changed from Air Mobility Command , to Air Combat Command . In 1993, squadrons 503 and 752 are merged in
1890-523: The location of Achada on the center of the island was chosen instead at the time for the construction of the field. In 1934, the Achada airfield was condemned due to its inadequate dimensions and adverse weather conditions, resulting in the construction of a landing strip of packed earth and a small group of support facilities by the Portuguese military at Lajes. During World War II , the designation of
1944-491: The need to lose costly helium lifting gas on landing (most of the Zeppelins achieved lift with very inexpensive hydrogen, which could be vented without concern to decrease altitude). The origin of the word "blimp" has been the subject of some confusion. Lennart Ege notes two possible derivations: Colloquially non-rigid airships always were referred to as "Blimps". Over the years several explanations have been advanced about
1998-648: The next coming months which, coupled with a shortage of spare parts from the manufacturer, led to such a low serviceable rate forcing the Portuguese Air Force to pull the Merlin from service in the Azores. The last Merlin flew back to Montijo on 19 March 2009. In order not to compromise the SAR mission, the Portuguese Air Force decided to reactivate the Puma fleet: in July 2008 a formation of four Puma helicopters made
2052-423: The number of U.S. Department of Defense aircraft to transit Lajes supporting the newly created AFRICOM . In August 2006, Portuguese news agencies reported that both governments were in discussions for a new agreement that could allow the use of Lajes for the training of a permanent F-22 Raptor squadron. Since 1943, the use of Lajes by the U.S. military has allowed Portugal to strengthen diplomatic relations with
2106-536: The only solid parts are the passenger car (gondola) and the tail fins . A non-rigid airship that uses heated air instead of a light gas (such as helium) as a lifting medium is called a hot-air airship (sometimes there are battens near the bow, which assist with higher forces there from a mooring attachment or from the greater aerodynamic pressures there). Volume changes of the lifting gas due to temperature changes or to changes of altitude are compensated for by pumping air into internal ballonets (air bags) to maintain
2160-546: The origin of this word. The most common is that in the military vernacular the Type ;B was referred to as "limp bag", which was simply abbreviated to "blimp". An alternative explanation is that on 5 December 1915, Commander A. D. Cunningham, R.N. , of the Capel-Le-Ferne Air Ship Station , flicked the envelope of the airship SS.12 with his fingers during an inspection, which produced
2214-471: The overpressure. Without sufficient overpressure, the blimp loses its ability to be steered and is slowed due to increased drag and distortion. The propeller air stream can be used to inflate the ballonets and so the hull. In some models, such as the Skyship 600 , differential ballonet inflation can provide a measure of pitch trim control. The engines driving the propellers are usually directly attached to
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2268-399: The plan cancelled due to budgetary constraints. This was regarded locally as a setback for the military environment at Lajes, as well as raising doubts from regional political forces who have concerns regarding the base future as well as the safety of the Azorean employed workforce. Portugal has explored contingencies in the event the United States military eventually abandons Lajes, including
2322-529: The possibility of entering an agreement with the People's Republic of China . On June 27, 2012, an airplane carrying Premier Wen Jiabao made a four-hour stop at Lajes during which time he toured the island. On 13 December 2012, the US Department of Defense announced, as part of a larger Air Force effort to shape the force, that Lajes Field will transition from an air base wing to an air base group with
2376-686: The region. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact , and end of the Cold War, P-3 operations at Lajes declined, and the Naval Air Facility was inactivated in the late 1990s. Following the Portuguese Air Force reorganization of 1978, Lajes Air Base comes to have two resident flying units: Squadron 503 - equipped with CASA C-212 aircraft and Squadron 752 - equipped with Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma helicopters. In 1980,
2430-599: The rules inscribed in the AIP for Portugal, issued by the Portuguese Directorate of Civilian Aviation (INAC). Units based at Lajes Field. Those marked GSU and their subordinate units are Geographically Separate Units, which although based at Lajes, report to a parent unit based at another location. US Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) Air Mobility Command Blimp A non-rigid airship , commonly called
2484-426: The summer of 1984, Lajes undertook a new mission known as " SILK PURSE ." Boeing EC-135s began operating out of Lajes Field as an airborne command post for the U.S. Commander-in-Chief, Europe . Along with the aircraft came the U.S. European Command battle staff and flight crews from United States Air Forces in Europe. This mission was ended in late August 1991. In 1990, Squadron 303 was disbanded. Lajes supported
2538-687: The three services of the Portuguese Armed Forces. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War , Lajes Field also supported Operation Nickel Grass U.S. airlift missions to Israel, highlighting the importance of the U.S. Air Force base at Lajes. Another important Cold War operation at Lajes was the U.S. Navy's Naval Air Facility Lajes (NAF Lajes), a tenant activity at the air base. NAF Lajes, and its associated Tactical Support Center (TSC)/Antisubmarine Warfare Operations Center (ASWOC), supported rotational detachments of U.S. Navy P-2 Neptune and later P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft that would track Soviet attack, guided missile , and ballistic missile submarines in
2592-551: The trans-Atlantic crossing from Beja to Lajes via Porto Santo Airport on Porto Santo Island and Santa Maria Airport on Santa Maria Island . Beginning in 1997, large scale fighter aircraft movements under the new USAF operating concept known as the Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) filled the Lajes flightline. Lajes also has hosted B-52 Stratofortress and B-1 Lancer bomber aircraft on global air missions, and also supported many routine NATO exercises, such as
2646-513: The usual transatlantic route between Brazil and West Africa was nearly cut in half from 70 to 40 hours. Lajes Field was one of the two stopover and refueling bases for the first transatlantic crossing of non-rigid airships (blimps) in 1944. The USN sent six Goodyear -built K-ships from Naval Air Station South Weymouth in Massachusetts to their first stopover base at Naval Station Argentia , Newfoundland and then on to Lajes Field in
2700-551: Was asked to develop a theory of airship design. This was followed by then- Lieutenant John H. Towers , USN , returning from Europe having inspected British designs, and the U.S. Navy subsequently sought bids for 16 blimps from American manufacturers. On 4 February 1917 the Secretary of the Navy directed that 16 nonrigid airships of Class B be procured. Ultimately Goodyear built 9 envelopes, Goodrich built five and Curtiss built
2754-483: Was available for use by those countries, and the use of Lajes was one of Portugal's primary contributions to the alliance. However, use of Lajes Field by the U.S. Department of Defense takes place under a U.S.-Portuguese Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), separate and in addition to NATO arrangements. In 1953, Admiral Lynde D. McCormick , the Commander-in-Chief , United States Atlantic Command organized
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#17327766732242808-559: Was based until inactivated in 1972. These units were responsible for the search and rescue (SAR) operations in the Atlantic between Europe and North America. In 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military alliance was established. Portugal, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and other western European countries were charter members of NATO. By reason of the NATO alliance, Lajes
2862-532: Was deemed more satisfactory. Yet a third derivation is given by Barnes and James in Shorts Aircraft since 1900 : In February 1915 the need for anti-submarine patrol airships became urgent, and the Submarine Scout type was quickly improvised by hanging an obsolete B.E.2c fuselage from a spare Willows envelope; this was done by the R.N.A.S. at Kingsnorth , and on seeing the result for
2916-418: Was reached between the U.S. and Portuguese governments giving the U.S. military rights to Lajes Field for an additional 18 months: the relationship between the Portuguese and American governments continues to this day, where the U.S. military resides under a tenancy status, and the Portuguese government retaining rights of ownership to the land and infrastructure. Lajes Field remains Portuguese Air Base 4 under
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