Kép Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) (Không quân Nhân dân Việt Nam) military airfield located near the town of Kép, Bắc Giang province approximately 60 km (37 mi) northeast of Hanoi.
| Kép Air Base | |
|---|---|
| Part of Vietnam People's Air Force | |
 A USAF RF-101C overflies Kep in 1966 | |
| Coordinates | 21°23′23″N 106°15′09″E / 21.38972°N 106.25250°E |
| Type | Air Force Base |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by |  Vietnam People's Air Force |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1965 |
| In use | 1965-Present |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Airfield information | |||||||||||||||
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History
Vietnam War
A September 1965 CIA intelligence briefing stated that Kép airfield had been extensively improved with the runway lengthened to 6000 ft allowing for jet fighter operations and photo-reconnaissance indicated that 8 aircraft, identified as MiG-15s or MiG-17s were at the airfield.[1] In April 1966 the CIA concluded that a small number of MiG-21s had possibly deployed to Kép from Phúc Yên Air Base.[2]
On 24 April 1967, jets from VA-112 and VA-144 attacked Kép in the first U.S. airstrike on a VPAF airfield of the Vietnam War.[3]
On 1 May 1967 during a sortie against Kép a Douglas A-4 Skyhawk of VA-76, shot down a MiG-17 with Zuni rockets, this was the only MiG kill by an A-4 during the Vietnam War.[4]
A Regiment-sized unit of Korean People's Air Force MiG pilots known as Doan Z (Group Z) flew from Kép from late 1967 through 1968.[5]
On 15 June 1972 during Operation Linebacker U.S. fighter-bombers attacked the base cratering the runway.[6] The base was attacked again on 18 June with further damage to the runway.[7]
Kép, Phúc Yên and Hòa Lạc were targeted on the first night of Operation Linebacker II on 18 December 1972 to suppress fighters that might otherwise intercept US attack aircraft.[8]
Current use
The VPAF 927th and 940th Fighter Regiment operating Su-30MK2s, Su-27SK/UBK and Yak-130 is based at Kép.[9]