Welcome to Barking Sands Airport, also known as the Pacific Missile Range Facility. This unique airport sits five nautical miles northwest of Kekaha in Kauai County, Hawaii. It serves as a U.S. naval facility and is the largest missile range in the world. Here, submarines, ships, aircraft, and space vehicles can all operate and be tracked at the same time. The airport features a 6,000-foot runway and offers various support facilities. It also has a tropical climate, making it an ideal location for military training and testing. Barking Sands Airport is a special place for those who work and live on the base.

Live Air Traffic

Barking Sands Airport (IATA: BKH) is a unique U.S. naval facility located in Kauai, Hawaii. It sits five nautical miles northwest of Kekaha. This airport is part of the Pacific Missile Range Facility, the largest missile range in the world. It offers a special environment for testing and training. Here, submarines, ships, aircraft, and space vehicles can all operate at the same time. The facility covers over 42,000 square miles of airspace and 1,100 square miles of underwater range. The airport features a 6,000-foot runway and maintenance facilities. It also has housing units and recreational areas for authorized personnel. Barking Sands Airport plays a vital role in military operations and training.

Basic information about airport

Airport code: PHBK
Type: medium
Continent: NA
Country code: US
Country: United
City Kekaha
IATA: BKH
Longitude: -159.785003662
Latitude: 22.022800445599998

Barking Sands Airport on Google Maps

metkaKekaha
Today 26 °C / 78.8 °F
  • sunLight rain
  • humidityHumidity: 69
  • WindWind: 5.96 m/sec
Tue

24 C / 75.2 °F

Wed

24 C / 75.2 °F

Thu

23 C / 73.4 °F

Fri

23 C / 73.4 °F

Sat

23 C / 73.4 °F

The Barking Sands Airport: Your Connection to the U.S. Missile Range in Hawaii

Introduction

Located in the heart of Kauai, Hawaii, resides Barking Sands Airport (IATA: BKH, ICAO: PHBK, FAA LID: BKH), an unusual and interesting operational airport serving as a gateway to the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF). Located on the island of Kaua'i, in the U.S. state of Hawaii, PMRF is not only one of America's most unique and vital strategic locations controlled with confidence by USINDOPACOM; it also serves a global role as well--as an instrumented multi-dimensional testing and training missile range that welcomes visitors from the United States Armed Forces (including joint efforts with Federal partners) and numerous other national military services across the globe who have come to value their time spent here test firing some foggy and foreboding mornings before heading into work preparing for peace or winning wartime commitments against today's complicated threats!

Airlines and Destinations

Primary users of this midsized airport are military and PMRF contractor flights. Consequently, the aerodrome has no scheduled airline services or commercial passenger flights. The airport is entirely used for military and government operations, with rare private flights.

The Number of Passengers and Flights

Because the airport operates as a special facility, its passenger numbers and flights are not listed in government airport data. The public is prohibited, and there are legally only authorized personnel to enter. But it offers consistent military and government traffic that aids important operations and testing at the PMRF.

How to Get Here

Barking Sands (NGIS/PHBK) is a joint-use, coastal airfield located on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. This airport is very far out in the desert and not open to public access, according to official reports. Guests who want to visit the PMRF and its facilities must get clearance properly, furthermore this area is forbidden, and only a few temperature records in here are accurate.

Parking

Barking Sands Airport does not have parking facilities for the public; so you must be an authorized user to park. As a military base, the airport did not have any public parking facilities. Those wishing to access the parking areas need prior approval from airport management.

Transportation Price

Barking Sands Airport is a closed military facility; there are no public transport modes between the airport and anywhere in Kekaha. Required Travel: Visitors should supply their own transportation facilities (e.g., private vehicles, chartered flights, or other approved modes specific to PMRF authorities).

Terminal Layout

The Barking Sands Airport features one asphalt-paved runway, which is designated according to the Luluku System as Runway 16/34 and has a length of 6,002 feet (1,829 meters) by a width of 150 feet (46 meters). The airport is provided with simple terminal facilities, as well as a basic support infrastructure to cater for military and government operations that are not found at commercial airports.

Navigate the Airport

Get in

Flying into Barking Sands Airport can be difficult as it is restricted airspace and a closed military airport. It is not a public airport, and it can be visited only with the proper clearances in place. This was a purpose-built airport, designed to provide for the unique requirements of the PMRF instead of catering to commercial aviation.

Getting Between Terminals

Because Barking Sands Airport has only one runway, it can't have several terminals like in larger airports but instead is relying heavily on military and governmental operations. Additional facilities are separate buildings within the PMRF complex, whereas different airport terminals would be navigated by passengers and personnel.

Services and Amenities

Restaurants and Shops

There are no restaurants, shops, or other commercial features on site at Barking Sands Airport. The airport itself is an inoperative military base and only a registered with authorization to gain entry. However, dining and recreational opportunities are limited exclusively to residents of PMRF or outside visitors who come on base specially -- not general visitors.

Security and Customs

Barking Sands Airport is a sensitive military base, and security must be maintained. All visitors are also thoroughly searched, and only by providing suitable clearances will they be permitted to enter the airport. All customs and immigration services are private, as the airport is exclusively used for general aviation.

Accessibility

As a specialized military facility, Barking Sands is very difficult to access for the general public. The airport definitely wasn't suitable for direct cargo that it did in the future, and apparently not with much thought about passenger service as well. Visitors with special needs should arrange and request, in advance, the necessary approval from PMRF authorities before accessing this site.

Travel Tips

Trips to Barking Sands Airport and the PMRF are one-of-a-kind adventures that take careful planning and preparation. Access to the facility is highly regulated, and permission clearances need to be obtained long before a person visits, if at all. Also, keep in mind the limited services and amenities at the airport itself, while you will certainly need to make sure you have your transportation either here or once it lands.