Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field is a United States Air Force auxiliary airfield used as an emergency landing facility by Luke Air Force Base and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base aircraft and units from other nearby bases using the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range complex. The airfield is located south of Interstate 8 and the central business district of Gila Bend, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States.

Although many US airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA, this facility is assigned GXF by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA.

History The facility was opened in July 1942 when it was part of the Gila Bend Gunnery Range. During World War II it was under the command of the 492d (Reduced) Army Air Force Base Unit, AAF West Coast Training Center. It served as the range headquarters for a massive bombing and gunnery range, now known as the Barry M. Goldwater Range, and for maintenance of the range and range targets. It remained an active Air Force facility staffed by USAF personnel until approximately 1995. It was also used as an auxiliary landing field. As of 2011, this role is handled by private contractors utilizing portions of the facility.Thole, Lou (1999), Forgotten Fields of America : World War II Bases and Training, Then and Now – Vol. 2. Publisher: Pictorial Histories Pub,

Auxiliary fields to Gila Bend AFAF (all on the Goldwater Range) are:

Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #4: Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #5: Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #6:

Facilities Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field has one runway designated Rwy 17/35 with an asphalt surface measuring .

See also

Arizona World War II Army Airfields List of United States Air Force installations

References

Other sources

Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites, History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC.

External links 56th Range Management Office – operates Gila Bend AFAF