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BWH · medium airport

RMAF Butterworth Air Base

Butterworth, Malaysia

Airports
BWHmedium airport

RMAF Butterworth Air Base

Butterworth, Malaysia
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Routes out
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Destinations
WMKB
ICAO
11 ft
Elevation
TravelerPulse profile

Malaysia's premier Royal Air Force strategic air base.

Opened
1941
Location
Butterworth, Malaysia
RMAF Butterworth Air Base, known by ICAO code WMKB, is a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) installation located in Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia. It serves primarily as a military airfield and is one of the most strategically important air bases in the country, hosting fighter squadrons and supporting Malaysia's air defense operations. The base is situated on the mainland side of Penang, directly across from Penang Island. Although it carries an IATA code (BWH), it does not currently operate scheduled commercial passenger services, functioning exclusively as a military facility under RMAF control. Butterworth Air Base has historical significance as a former Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base during the Commonwealth era, and it continues to host periodic joint military exercises and defense partnerships with allied nations.
Getting to & from
The base is accessible via road links connecting Butterworth to the broader Penang region, with ferry services to Penang Island available nearby.
Notable facts
  • ›Originally established by the British Royal Air Force during World War II.
  • ›Served as a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base from the 1950s until 1988.
  • ›Home to the RMAF's fighter squadrons including those operating the BAE Hawk jet trainer/light combat aircraft.
  • ›Hosts the biennial Lima (Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace) defense-related activities.
  • ›Located adjacent to Penang, one of Malaysia's most important economic and cultural regions.
Wikipedia
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RMAF Butterworth Air Base
Encyclopaedia

RMAF Butterworth is an active Air Force Station of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) situated 4.5 nautical miles from Butterworth in Penang, Malaysia. It is currently home to the Headquarters Integrated Area Defence System (HQIADS), part of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA).

Read full article on Wikipedia