Kyrgyzstan

Manas Serves As Transit Center to War in Afghanistan

David Trilling Feb 5, 2009
A US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker sits on the tarmac outside the Manas International Airport terminal. (Photo: David Trilling) A US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker sits on the tarmac outside the Manas International Airport terminal. (Photo: David Trilling)
US soldiers watch a movie as they wait for a flight into Afghanistan. (Photo: David Trilling) US soldiers watch a movie as they wait for a flight into Afghanistan. (Photo: David Trilling)
Photos of President Barack Obama and military leaders adorn many buildings at Manas. (Photo: David Trilling) Photos of President Barack Obama and military leaders adorn many buildings at Manas. (Photo: David Trilling)
Nearly 550 Kyrgyz work at the base, taking home approximately $2.64 million in salaries each year. (Photo: David Trilling) Nearly 550 Kyrgyz work at the base, taking home approximately $2.64 million in salaries each year. (Photo: David Trilling)
US airmen refuel a C-17 transport aircraft. (Photo: David Trilling) US airmen refuel a C-17 transport aircraft. (Photo: David Trilling)
A crew prepares a KC-135 Stratotanker for a refueling mission over Afghanistan. (Photo: David Trilling) A crew prepares a KC-135 Stratotanker for a refueling mission over Afghanistan. (Photo: David Trilling)
US Air Force jets sit on the tarmac at the airbase. (Photo: David Trilling) US Air Force jets sit on the tarmac at the airbase. (Photo: David Trilling)
A soldier on his way to Afghanistan boards a C-17 for the one-and-a-half-hour flight to Bagram. (Photo: David Trilling) A soldier on his way to Afghanistan boards a C-17 for the one-and-a-half-hour flight to Bagram. (Photo: David Trilling)
A British contractor shows off a falcon used to scare off other birds hazardous to flying aircraft. (Photo: David Trilling) A British contractor shows off a falcon used to scare off other birds hazardous to flying aircraft. (Photo: David Trilling)
As the main entry point into Afghanistan, soldiers pick up much of their gear at Manas airbase. (Photo: David Trilling) As the main entry point into Afghanistan, soldiers pick up much of their gear at Manas airbase. (Photo: David Trilling)
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Only an hour's flight time north of the Afghan border, last year over 170,000 coalition soldiers passed through Manas en route to Operation Enduring Freedom there. Many spend only a day or two housed in transient facilities. Manas, which first opened in December 2001, is also home to a squadron of American and French refueling tankers. In 2008, the base supported 3,294 refueling missions for 11,419 fighter aircraft over Afghanistan, disbursing 194,000,000 pounds of fuel.

David Trilling is the Central Asia Coordinator for EurasiaNet.

David Trilling is Eurasianet’s managing editor.

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