RAAF Base Tindal (Northern Territory)

RAAF Base Tindal (IATA: KTR, ICAO: YPTN) also known as Tindal Air Base is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) major Australian military air base and civil aviation airfield located 8 nautical miles (15 km; 9.2 mi) east southeast of the town of Katherine, Northern Territory in Australia. The base is currently home to No. 75 Squadron and a number of non-flying units, and also hosts the civilian Katherine Tindal Airport (also known as the Katherine Tindal Civilian Airport). First constructed in 1942, it was refurbished in the late 1960s as a bare base capable of being utilised when required. It was opened as a permanently manned RAAF base in 1989. As of 2024, the base is under upgrades largely funded by the United States Air Force to allow Tindal Air Base to host larger aircraft, most notably a total of 6 Boeing B-52 Stratofortress nuclear-capable bombers of the United States. The base is well known as hosting the most advanced American aircraft that enter Australia, and during the Middle Eastern crisis, Tindal provided services to the United States B-2 Spirit stealth bombers immediately prior to their attacks on the Houthis.