RMAF Butterworth

Infobox Airport
name = RMAF Butterworth
nativename = TUDM Butterworth


IATA = BWH
ICAO = WMKB
type = Military
owner =
operator = Royal Malaysian Air Force
city-served =
location = Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia
elevation-f = 8
elevation-m = 2.4
coordinates = nowrap|coord|05|27|58|N|100|23|28|E|type:airport_region:MY
website =
metric-rwy = y
r1-number = 18/36
r1-length-m = 2,438
r1-length-f = 7,999
r1-surface = Asphalt
footnotes = Sources: AIP Malaysia [http://aip.dca.gov.my/aip%20pdf/AD/AD2/WMKB/WMKB-Butterworth.pdf AIP Malaysia: WMKB - Butterworth] at Department of Civil Aviation Malaysia] and DAFIFWAD|WMKB|source=DAFIF] GCM|BWH|source=DAFIF]

RMAF Butterworth ( _ms. TUDM Butterworth) airport codes|BWH|WMKB is an air force base near the town of Butterworth in the state of Penang operated by the Royal Malaysian Air Force.

History

RAF Butterworth was a Royal Air Force base that was transferred from the RAF to the Royal Australian Air Force in 1957, and was home to numerous Australian fighter and bomber squadrons during the Cold War. RAAF Butterworth was transferred to the RMAF on 30 June 1988.

Australian involvement

The Australian Defence Force continues to maintain a presence at RMAF Butterworth, with No. 324 Combat Support Squadron and a detachment of AP-3C Orion aircraft from No. 92 Wing RAAF being located at the base. In addition, the Australian Army maintains an infantry company (designated Rifle Company Butterworth) at Butterworth for training purposes.

Possible replacement of current Penang Bayan Lepas airport

There is a shortage of land space on Penang island where the population is increasing rapidly. There has been some suggetion that RMAF Butterworth could be re-developed into a major new airport: Penang Butterworth International Airport on the mainland to replace Penang International Airport at Bayan Lepas on the island. Certainly there would be more scope for new terminal and runways at Butterworth than at Bayan Lepas. The land freed up at Bayan Lepas could be developed for new public and private housing. The existing air terminal at Bayan Lepas could be turned into a long distance bus terminal. Part of Bayan Lepas airport facilities could be retained as a heli-base and VTOL aircraft base, which could take aircraft like the VTOL Bell Boeing Osprey, even if the Bayan Lepas runway is re-developed for roads and housing. The new Penang Butterworth International Airport could also have a railway station much like Kuala Lumpur International Airport has one for transportation interconnectivity.

Photo Gallery

ee also

*RMAF Airbases
*List of RAF stations in British Malaya

References

* [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-B.htm#Butterworth Crest badge and Information of RAF Butterworth]

External links

* [http://www.raf.mod.uk/history_old/histories.html History of RAF]
*
*