Lajes Field Portugal
Lajes Field AFB is located on Terceira Island, the Azores, Portugal, about 1600 km West from Lisbon, Portugal and 3680 East from New York City. The only near-by city is Lajes. Lajes Field AFB is an Air Force Base which garrisons the 65th Air Base Wing.
The primary mission of Lajes Field AFB is, as it was throughout its history, to support allied military air forces in need of help. Nowadays it provides this kind of support to 3,000 aircraft and has a strategic geographical position of great importance to the NATO routine exercises.
Lajes Field was built in 1934 and was named after the near-by city of Lajes. The type of housing at the base is the usual one and they also have some lodging facilities for people in some units at the base. The attractions near the base are few but very eye-catchy – The Azores, with their wonderful landscapes and breathtaking scenery. There is a standard training role for soldiers at the base, but, once again, the general purpose is to house and host moving military units and to provide supplies to them. Some examples of aircraft are the F-22 Raptor and the P Corsair II, great aircraft with great technology.
Lajes Field has recently received press for the merging of the Multimedia with the Public Affairs Department, on the 1st of October 2007. Lately, the base’s importance has been that of helping the NATO troops with their routine exercises. One of the most recent missions the base has participated in is also related to NATO.
Lajes Field has always played an important role not only for its primary help to military units, but also because it has aided the relations between many states, such as Portugal and the USA. The FAP/Air Commands of the Azores currently command the base. The base’s logo features a falcon reining the Earth, a symbol of power and security throughout the world.