Facilities expanded in the early 1950s to accommodate jet aircraft and was used by the SAC 5th Air Division as a forward deployment base for B-47 Stratojet and B-36 Peacemaker bombers and support units during the Cold War.

Sidi Slimane Air Base was the location of a Broken Arrow nuclear incident on 31 January 1958.

A USAF B-47 carrying an armed nuclear weapon experienced a wheel casting failure during simulated takeoff.

[1] The base has supported occasional deployments of SAC Boeing B-52 Stratofortress and KC-135 Stratotankers over the years.

Some old USAF barracks visible and still appear to be in use to the northwest of flightline area, although most of the buildings have been torn down; the streets remaining.