 The air base was a primary air base for the Iraqi Air Force prior to the 2003 invasion.It had a 10,000 foot runway with numerous taxi-ways leading right out of Hardened Aircraft Shelters (HAS) and laid diagonally to the runways - known as "Trapezoids" or "Yugos".It was a large, expansive base, it is undetermined if it contains underground facilities for aircraft sheltering.