Manas Air Base

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Emblem of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing, stationed at Manas Air Base

Manas Air Base (unofficially Ganci Air Base) is a United States military installation at Manas International Airport, near Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, primarily operated by the U.S. Air Force.

1 Dedication
2 Operation Enduring Freedom
3 Recent events
- 3.1 December 2006 shooting
4 See also
5 External links
6 References

The installation was named after New York Fire Department Chief Peter J. Ganci, Jr., who was killed in the September 11 terrorist attack.

Shortly after the U.S. Air Force had used the name "Ganci," it was found that an Air Force Instruction (AFI) dictated that non-US air bases could not bear the name of any US citizens. Since that time the air base has been officially called Manas Air Base.

Manas Air Base with a double rainbow.

A KC-135 Stratotanker sits on the flightline at Manas Air Base.

In December 2001, US engineers arrived at Manas to open the airfield for coalition use as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. [1] US close air support aircraft deployed there included US Air Force F-15Es and US Marine Corps F-18s. In February 2002, a detachment of French Air Force Dassault Mirage 2000D ground attack aircraft and KC-135 air-refueling tankers deployed to Manas in support of ground forces in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. In March of the same year, the Royal Australian Air Force stationed 2 B707 air-to-air refuelling aircraft as part of the Operation. On October 2002 a tri-national detachment of 18 Danish, Dutch and Norwegian F-16 ground attack aircraft took the place of the Mirages, in addition, support for the new aircraft came in the form of one Netherlands KDC-10 tanker, and several American KC-135s, which remain assigned to this day.

The Tulip Revolution of March, 2005 led to the toppling of Kyrgyz president Askar Akayev. However, American and allied personnel did not find themselves disrupted or affected, according to international news reports. One military member even indicated, "It's been business as usual...We did not miss a single flight."^[1]

In April, 2006, Kyrgyzstan's new president, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, threatened to expel U.S. troops if the United States would not agree by June 1 to pay more for stationing forces in the Central Asian nation. He withdrew this threat, however the U.S. and Kyrgyzstan have yet to agree to new terms for the military base.

On September 6, 2006, a U.S. Air Force officer, Maj. Jill Metzger went missing after being separated from her group while visiting a shopping center in Bishkek. She was found three days later in the nearby city of Kant. Metzger claimed to have escaped from kidnappers, though U.S. officials noted "serious inconsistencies" in her account. The matter is still under investigation.

On December 6, 2006, U.S. serviceman Zachary Hatfield fatally shot Alexander Ivanov, a Kyrgyz civilian, at a truck checkpoint at the base. A statement from the base stated the soldier “used deadly force in response to a threat at an entry control checkpoint."^[2] Ivanov, a truck driver for Aerocraft Petrol Management, was waiting to finish the security check before proceeding into the U.S.-controlled area. According to a base spokesman, "As the airman approached the tent, the driver physically threatened him with a knife which was discovered at the scene. The airman drew his 9mm weapon and fired in self-defense."^[3] Hatfield fired two shots into Ivanov's chest, killing him.

The killing drew widespread condemnation from Kyrgyz authorities and they quickly demanded that Hatfield's immunity from local prosecution be revoked. In the meantime, U.S. authorities agreed to have Hatfield remain in Kyrgyzstan until the matter is resolved.^[4]

Another issue to come out of the shooting was that of the compensation offered to Ivanov's family. His employer offered the family $50,000 while the U.S. government offered only around $2,000. Galina Skripkina, a lawyer representing Ivanov's widow, described the US offer as "humiliating" and said that if it was not increased the family would take legal action. However, the US embassy stated that this amount was an interim payment and that final compensation would be determined once the investigation into the shooting was concluded.^[5]