The fort was built by the Ruler of Sharjah in 1932 to afford protection for the passengers and staff of Imperial Airways.

[5] Concerned that the airfield would result in British interference in Sharjah's internal affairs, Sultan bin Saqr nevertheless held out in negotiations until he had gained assurances that the Bombay and Persia Steam Navigation Company steamer service to Dubai would also route through Sharjah, providing income for the town's traders.

[7] Negotiations were recommenced by Harold Dickson, who had left Kuwait (where he was British Political Agent) to accompany Biscoe as an Arabic-speaking colleague.

Dickson recounts at times having to be rude during drawn out and exhaustive negotiations, noting he had "told the Sheikh quite openly that it was impossible for me to continue business in an atmosphere which resembled that of chattering women, rather than the deliberations of serious men.

"[8] Sultan bin Saqr eventually agreed to build a rest-house for crew and passengers which was fortified against "possible but unlikely raids by bedouin" according to the 1937 documentary film Air Outpost, which featured Sharjah's airport.

[15] Produced in 1937 by documentary maker Paul Rotha for Strand Films, Air Outpost set out to tell the story of "24 hours at the airport and city of Sharjah, on the Persian Gulf".