What is special about Andrews Airbase, where Prime Minister Modi’s plane is in America

PM Modi on US State Visit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a four-day state visit to America from June 21-24, 2023. He arrived in America at the invitation of US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. It is expected that there will be many important agreements between the two countries during this tour. In the midst of this visit by Prime Minister Modi, his special plane stands at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility. This installation is also very special. In fact, only the US President’s special planes, Air Force One and its fleet of helicopters hang out here.

Not only do the US President’s two Air Force One planes hang out at Andrews Air Force Base, but the US President also takes off from here to go anywhere. Whenever America calls the leader of a nation on a state visit and places great importance on him, his special plane is also stationed at Andrews Air Force Base. The history of this air base is linked to the Civil War. The American Federals then took over a small country church as headquarters for the troops encamped nearby. Now this church is known as Chapel-Two. The grassroots community uses it for religious purposes.

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What was this airfield used for?
In August 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt directed the Secretary of War to acquire the land and build a military airfield. At the end of that year, construction work on Andrews Air Force Base began. Westover Field’s first permanent unit, the 463rd Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, arrived here on April 19, 1943 with 105 soldiers and five officers. Its name then was Camp Springs Army Air Field, which became operational on May 2, 1943. At that time, the first Republic P-47 Thunderbolt arrived here. After that, 75 P-47s were deployed here in the first month itself. The original purpose of this airfield was to train fighter pilots for overseas warfare.

Andrews Field is named in honor of Lieutenant General Frank M. Andrews, one of the founders of the United States Air Force. (Picture: Wikipedia)

How did Andrews Air Force Base get its name?
In the years following World War II, Andrews was used as the headquarters of Continental Air Command, Strategic Air Command and the Military Airlift Service. From 1950 to 1992, this airfield was also the headquarters of the Air Research and Development Command and the Air Force Systems Command. Camp Springs was named Andrews Field on May 31, 1945, in honor of Lieutenant General Frank M. Andrews, one of the founders of the United States Air Force. In fact, he died in a plane crash on May 3, 1943. The base was renamed Andrews Air Force Base shortly after the Air Force became a separate service in 1947.

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Which president flew for the first time?
The first permanently assigned jet aircraft, the F-80 Shooting Star, arrived at Andrews Air Force Base in 1947. B-25 bomber crews trained at Andrews Air Force Base in June 1950 with the start of the Korean War. Andrews Air Force Base is known for its special air missions carrying high government and military officials. For the first time from this air base, President Harry S. Truman flew on November 24, 1946. $14 million was spent to improve the base. In this, the old track was improved and a new track was built. After that, in 1959, Andrews Air Force Base began to be used for the entry and departure of American dignitaries.

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several times received prisoners of war
The United States 1254th Air Transport Group Detachment-1 received its first VC-137 jet aircraft in 1959. However, until that time, the President’s official C-121 aircraft remained at National Airport in Washington. The President often used the VC-137 on long trips. Jean F Kennedy’s official C-118 aircraft was permanently transferred from Washington Nation Airport to Andrews Air Force Base in March 1962. The base has been the center of many happy returns and reunions since then. Andrews hosted POWs returning from Vietnam in 1973. This was followed by the return of American hostages from Iran in 1981 and also hosted former Pfc POWs.

Joint Andrews Base is the premier stop in America for transporting VIPs from America as well as VIPs from other countries.

First stop for VIPs
Known as the “President’s Wing,” the 89th Airlift Wing continues to contribute to Andrews’ rich history as the premier Air Mobility Command Wing for transporting VIPs from around the world. Andrews not only serves for high-ranking American officials, but is also the first stop in America for kings, queens, presidents, prime ministers, popes, local and foreign military leaders.

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When Andrews Base became Joint Base
Andrews Air Force Base became a joint base with Naval Air Facility Washington on October 1, 2009. It is now known as Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility Washington or Joint Base Andrews. In October 2010, the 316th Wing was inactivated and the 11th Wing, housed at Bolling Air Force Base, was activated. It served as the host wing at Andrews until June 2020. After that, the 316th Wing was reactivated here. Joint Base Andrews plays an active and important role in US defense. It has evolved from the muddy fields and wooden buildings of the 1940s for the P-47 Thunderbolt and the F-80 Shooting Star to a number of modern aircraft of national significance, including Air Force One, the F-16 Fighting Falcon turned into zone.

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where is andrews air force base
Joint Base Andrews is located in Prince George’s County, Maryland, approximately 10 miles from the Washington DC border and 15 miles from Virginia. The base is physically located in the town of Camp Springs MD and is bordered by the four towns of Clinton, Upper Marlboro, Town of Morningside and Forestville.

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Tags: India United States, Indian Air Force, PM narendra modi, US President Joe Biden, Visit to the United States