Khamis Mushait
Encyclopedia
Khamis Mushait is a city in south-west Saudi Arabia
, located 35 minutes east of Abha
, the provincial seat of the Asir province. It is the capital of the Shahran Tribe. Until the 1970s Khamis Mushait was a small town of less than 50,000 servicing the surrounding mild-climate agricultural region. Since then its population has grown eightfold to reach 446,467 (2004 census).
Khamis Mushait is the largest city in Asir province, nowadays one of the most populated regions in Saudi Arabia. The city's name comes from the weekly market that is held each Thursday; "Khamis" simply meaning Thursday in Arabic. Khamis Mushait is a popular tourist destination in the summer, due to its relatively mild summer weather, frequent rainfall, and famous well maintained parks. The city is served by the Abha regional airport, located approximately 18 km from the city centre.
To Arrive to Khamis Mushayit from outside the Asir region, you can basically use one of three travel modes which are: airplanes, buses, and passenger cars. Khamis Mushayit still needs more improvement in respect of transportation, especially that the city is considered one of the highest populated cities in Saudi Arabia (8th in the country) where the population density is considerably high. As a result, the roads suffer from congestion during daylight.
Khamis Mushait is one of the 6 main Saudi Air Force bases (the others being Taif, Jeddah
, Dhahran
, Riyadh
and Tabuk). The following aircraft types are based here: F-15C/D, F-15S (a slightly downgraded F-15E strike variant), Tornado IDS
, F-5
(The F-5 aircraft were removed from KKAB in the late 80s and transferred to Riyadh). AH64 Apache helicopters and Blackhawks were based here for training and servicing in support of the armour and artillery schools at the King Faisal Military City close by http://mylima.com/airforce/s.htm.
During the Gulf War
of 1990, US F-117
A aircraft were based in Khamis Mushait http://www.f-117a.com/Timeline2.htmlhttp://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/docs/961000-air3.htm. At that time, they flew from Khamis Mushait directly to Baghdad or beyond and back to Khamis Mushayt.
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Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, located 35 minutes east of Abha
Abha
Abha is the capital of Asir province in Saudi Arabia. It is situated at 2,200 metres above sea level in the fertile mountains of south-western Saudi Arabia near the National Park of Asir. Its mild climate makes it a popular tourist destination for Saudis...
, the provincial seat of the Asir province. It is the capital of the Shahran Tribe. Until the 1970s Khamis Mushait was a small town of less than 50,000 servicing the surrounding mild-climate agricultural region. Since then its population has grown eightfold to reach 446,467 (2004 census).
Khamis Mushait is the largest city in Asir province, nowadays one of the most populated regions in Saudi Arabia. The city's name comes from the weekly market that is held each Thursday; "Khamis" simply meaning Thursday in Arabic. Khamis Mushait is a popular tourist destination in the summer, due to its relatively mild summer weather, frequent rainfall, and famous well maintained parks. The city is served by the Abha regional airport, located approximately 18 km from the city centre.
Transportation
Khamis Mushayit is well connected with a good quality road network. The city lacks a bus or rail network, so private vehicle hire plays a significant role in the transport system.To Arrive to Khamis Mushayit from outside the Asir region, you can basically use one of three travel modes which are: airplanes, buses, and passenger cars. Khamis Mushayit still needs more improvement in respect of transportation, especially that the city is considered one of the highest populated cities in Saudi Arabia (8th in the country) where the population density is considerably high. As a result, the roads suffer from congestion during daylight.
Military Airbase
King Khalid Air Base (KMX) has a 12400 ft (3,780 m) paved runway without customs facilities. The base was designed and built by US Army and Air Force engineers in the 1960s and 70s.Khamis Mushait is one of the 6 main Saudi Air Force bases (the others being Taif, Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
, Dhahran
Dhahran
Dhahran is a city located in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, and is a major administrative center for the Saudi oil industry. Large oil reserves were first identified in the Dhahran area in 1931, and in 1935 Standard Oil of California drilled the first commercially viable oil well...
, Riyadh
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
and Tabuk). The following aircraft types are based here: F-15C/D, F-15S (a slightly downgraded F-15E strike variant), Tornado IDS
Panavia Tornado
The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine, variable-sweep wing combat aircraft, which was jointly developed and manufactured by the United Kingdom, West Germany and Italy...
, F-5
F-5 Freedom Fighter
The Northrop F-5A/B Freedom Fighter and the F-5E/F Tiger II are part of a family of widely-used light supersonic fighter aircraft, designed and built by Northrop...
(The F-5 aircraft were removed from KKAB in the late 80s and transferred to Riyadh). AH64 Apache helicopters and Blackhawks were based here for training and servicing in support of the armour and artillery schools at the King Faisal Military City close by http://mylima.com/airforce/s.htm.
During the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
of 1990, US F-117
F-117 Nighthawk
The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk was a single-seat, twin-engine stealth ground-attack aircraft formerly operated by the United States Air Force . The F-117A's first flight was in 1981, and it achieved initial operating capability status in October 1983...
A aircraft were based in Khamis Mushait http://www.f-117a.com/Timeline2.htmlhttp://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/docs/961000-air3.htm. At that time, they flew from Khamis Mushait directly to Baghdad or beyond and back to Khamis Mushayt.
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