Following the failed coup, Akıncı Air Base was redesignated with its former name, Mürted, and it was suggested the facility be converted to a memorial or a park.

Turkish Chief of the General Staff Hulusi Akar was taken hostage at the headquarters by the pro-coup soldiers, and transported by helicopter to the Akıncı AFB, where he was detained.

[13] Two tanker aircraft of type KC-135R flown by the 101st Squadron at İncirlik AFB were employed for aerial refueling so the jet fighters could operate hours nonstop over Ankara.

The jet fighters of Akıncı AFB were supported by Sikorsky S-70 and Bell AH-1 Cobra helicopters from the Ankara Güvercinlik Army Air Base.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in his constitutional capacity as the Commander-in-chief of the Turkish Armed Forces, ordered the shootdown of the pro-coup F-16s still in the air.

[18] On August 12, 2016, Minister of National Defense Fikri Işık stated that there was popular support for relocating the air base and redeveloping the area into a "democracy park".

"Mürted" means "apostate", and it was given to the site in reference to the desertion of some troops of Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I (reigned 1389‒1403) in the Battle of Ankara (1402) against the Timurid Empire.

The facility's status as an airbase was downgraded in September 2016 to an airfield following the 15 July 2016 coup d'état attempt because it played a major role as the headquarters of the plot, and subsequently relocation of the 4th Air Wing.