Airbase
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An Airbase, sometimes referred to as a military airport or airfield, provides basing and support of military aircraft.
Some airbases provide facilites very like civilian airports. For example, RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, England has a terminal which caters for passengers for the Royal Air Force's scheduled flights, e.g. the Tristar to the Falkland Islands.
Other structures and equipment are specific to military airfields, e.g.:
- Anti-aircraft weapons, e.g. surface-to-air missiles, to protect from air attack.
- Hardened Aircraft Shelters to protect individual aircraft from aerial strikes.
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a type of naval ship which serves as a seaborne airbase, the development of them has greatly enhanced the capabilities of modern air forces. They are now a key part of the military, allowing for military aircraft to be staged much nearer the theatre of conflict. Recent examples of their use includes the Iraq war and the military operations to remove the Taliban from power in Afghanistan.