Eielson Air Force Airport in Eielson AFB, Alaska

Eielson Air Force Airport: Interior Alaska's Premier Fighter Base

Eielson Air Force Base Airport (IATA: PABI) serves the 354th Fighter Wing at Eielson AFB, located approximately 26 miles southeast of Fairbanks in the Tanana Valley. Eielson is home to F-35A Lightning II aircraft of the 356th Fighter Squadron and the 18th Aggressor Squadron, which flies F-16Cs to simulate adversary aircraft in combat training exercises. The base hosts the biennial Red Flag-Alaska exercise, one of the U.S. Air Force's most important large-force employment training exercises, which brings hundreds of aircraft from U.S. and allied military services to the vast Military Operations Areas over Interior Alaska's massive uninhabited terrain — airspace ideally suited for complex air combat maneuvering that has no equivalent training environment in the Lower 48.

Eielson's airfield supports some of the most advanced tactical aircraft in the U.S. military inventory in one of the most challenging operational environments in the world — Interior Alaska's extreme cold, ice fog, and subarctic conditions test aircraft systems and aircrew adaptability in ways that prepare them for global contingency operations. The FAA Alaskan Region coordinates civil-military airspace procedures between Eielson and Fairbanks International Airport (FAI), approximately 26 miles to the northwest. Alaska DOT&PF monitors Eielson's airfield activities as part of its statewide aviation planning, recognizing the significant economic and strategic defense importance of the base to the Interior Alaska region and the state as a whole.

Frequently Asked Questions About Eielson Air Force Base

What aircraft are based at Eielson AFB?

Eielson hosts F-35A Lightning II fighters of the 356th Fighter Squadron, F-16C Aggressors of the 18th Aggressor Squadron, and the various aircraft that rotate through for Red Flag-Alaska exercises.

What is Red Flag-Alaska?

Red Flag-Alaska is a major air combat training exercise held biennially at Eielson AFB, using Alaska's vast Military Operations Areas for realistic air-to-air and air-to-ground combat training involving hundreds of aircraft from the U.S. and allied nations.

Is Eielson Air Force Base Airport accessible to civilians?

Eielson is a restricted military installation. Civil aircraft access requires prior authorization from base operations. Civilian aviation in the area uses Fairbanks International Airport.

How does Eielson's location benefit military training?

Alaska's vast, uninhabited terrain provides Military Operations Areas orders of magnitude larger than available in the Lower 48, enabling realistic large-force combat training at ranges and speeds impossible in more congested airspace.

Eielson AFB: Economic and Strategic Role in Interior Alaska

Eielson Air Force Base is one of the most economically significant installations in Alaska, contributing billions of dollars to the Fairbanks North Star Borough economy through military payroll, construction contracts, and the economic activity generated by thousands of military personnel and dependents. The decision in recent years to base F-35A aircraft at Eielson — a major investment in Alaska's strategic defense role — reflects the state's importance as the frontline of Pacific Command and NORAD operations. Civilian community members and the Fairbanks business community maintain a supportive relationship with Eielson that recognizes the mutual interests of the military mission and the surrounding region.

The FAA Alaskan Region manages the airspace interface between Eielson's military airspace reservations and the civilian traffic at Fairbanks International. Military aircraft from Eielson regularly operate in restricted areas and MOAs over the Tanana Flats and surrounding Interior terrain, and pilots at Fairbanks-area civil airports should monitor NOTAM activity for Eielson-related airspace activations. Alaska DOT&PF's statewide aviation planning considers the Fairbanks-Eielson corridor when planning public airport investments in the Interior region. For aviation enthusiasts, Eielson's air shows (held on a periodic basis) provide a rare opportunity to see the base's F-35A and F-16 aircraft up close in one of Alaska's most impressive military aviation settings.