Sondrestrom Air Base
| Sondrestrom Air Base | |
|---|---|
Sondrestrom Air Base, 1974 | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Military airfield |
| Controlled by | United States Air Force |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 67°00′38.00″N 050°42′33.00″W / 67.0105556°N 50.7091667°W |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1941 |
| In use | 1941–1992 |
Sondrestrom Air Base, originally Bluie West-8, was a United States Air Force base in central Greenland. It was closed in 1992 and it is now the site of Kangerlussuaq Airport. The site is located 60 mi (97 km) north of the Arctic Circle and 90 mi (140 km) from the northeast end of Kangerlussuaq Fjord (formerly known by its Danish name Søndre Strømfjord). The base is approximately 11 mi (18 km) west-northwest of Ravneklippen and 80 mi (130 km) east of Sisimiut.
Following World War II, the base was briefly returned to Danish control between 9 October 1950 and 20 July 1951. The 1951 Greenland bases treaty led to the return of Sondrestrom to American control.