The IAF (Israel Air Force) has started moving many of its assets from Lod Air Force Base (next to Ben Gurion airport in Tel-Aviv) to a new base, Nevatim (southeast of Beersheba), see red arrow above. This new base is further south, and this change was planned and executed partly in response to Syria building up its inventory of rockets and missiles. The move of Israel's transport, refueling, and AWACS aircraft is the first phase. Eventually fighters, maintenance, aviation, administration, military intelligence, and C4I will also relocate to Nevatim. In building Nevatim in the Negev, Israel added a 2.5 mile runway, the longest in the Middle East.
Longest landing field in Middle East to be constructed in NevatimThe IAF Heads South
IAF flies fleet to new Negev air base - now the largest in ME