Navy Seabees to Construct Jet Handling Runway in Wajir Airbase Kenya
January 1 | Posted by David Goldman | Intelligence News, Military IntelligenceUS Navy Seebees, the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 will start to greatly expand the runways at Wajir Airport and Military airbase.
Wajir Airport was built by HZ, an Israel construction Company between l977 and 1978, as a military airbase.
President Hon Mwai Kibaki of the republic of Kenya commissioned the airport to accommodate both civil and military aircrafts operations in 2007.
US Seebees confirmed that this is the biggest project they have ever worked on besides emphasizing that the type of aircraft to be used in this particular airport might be superior.
Intelligence on how large the new runway will be or even the specific types aircraft that will be able to use it is still scanty.
The US Navy unit will bring its own equipment confirmed Cdr. Scott Raymond, the unit’s CO. Its interesting that an armed construction battalion of the US navy is constructing an ultra modern runway in Kenya.
There are possibilities Kenya might be bringing in very sophisticated equipment including superior fighter aircrafts, a drone operating command, and military transport planes such as the C-130.
“This is the first time in a while, that there’s been a project” big enough to warrant bringing this type of heavy equipment along, he noted.
Seabees will provide their own housing, command and control facilities and security throughout the construction process.
According to Kenya government sources, the Wajir Airport accommodates two military camps within its perimeter fence.Airforce (F.O.B) camp is half a kilometre to the south while Army camp is almost the same distance to the west of the terminal building.
