Widebody Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Commercial
Fatigue; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Diverted
Human Factors; Airport; Environment - Non Weather Related
First leg for IOE (Initial Operating Experience) OFO (Operational Experience First Officer) in the right seat. LCA (Line Check Airman) Pilot Flying (Pilot Flying). 4 man crew (LCA; OFO; 2 FOs); Mechanic and Loadmaster.On arrival; night VFR in ZZZZ winds 350/25G35 Runway XXR. FMC reserves 12.6 with ZZZZ1 as alternate. To mitigate SAFIRE (Small Arms Fire) MANPAD (Man-Portable Air Defense) threat; [we] turned all exterior lights off passing 16;000 feet as suggested by company Jeppesen Charts. Short Final; passing approximately 300 feet AGL. Pilot Flying called for landing lights; shortly followed by Tower Controller directing a go-around due to base under attack. [We] executed a go-around and began to divert to ZZZZ1. Per ATC; ZZZZ was closed indefinitely. About third of the way to ZZZZ1; ATC notified that we may proceed to ZZZZ1; but due to their field and fuel situation; we would be stuck there and asked our intentions. As a crew; we decided to turn around and divert to ZZZZ2 immediately. [We] called Dispatch via Satcom to advise of our intentions. ZZZZ2 winds 360/25G35. Landed safely with 12.4K fuel; FMC Reserves 12.6K.Local handler [at ZZZZ2] was unable to get our flight plan package ZZZZ2-ZZZZ. I had to use my personal phone to download package to transfer it to my computer and print it using Loadmaster's printer. Approximately 2 hours after landing ZZZZ2; Ground advised ZZZZ was open but ZZZZ2 closed due to a security threat on the field; [a] suspicious package. Approximately 3.5 hours after landing; ZZZZ2 opened and at the same time Dispatch notified via ACARS that we were going to be offloaded in ZZZZ2 and proceed to ZZZZ3 due to lack of duty time. [We] called Dispatch and advised we can proceed to ZZZZ with their concurrence. MOD (Manager on Duty) and Dispatch agreed. Uneventful flight from ZZZZ2 to ZZZZ.Once in ZZZZ; we were advised the base was hit close to the flight line where we parked near Final Approach path to Runway XXR and a second attack on the other side of the base. Dispatch was unable to get permits to proceed to ZZZZ3 and began to work on permits to fly to ZZZZ4. It took almost 6 hours to get flight plan and permits to fly to ZZZZ4; during which time [the] crew took turns to rest. Local handler unable to get flight plan package and had to utilize same procedure as in ZZZZ2. By the time flight plan was in hand; crew was past their contractual duty day. As a crew; we decided to press on in order not to crew rest in ZZZZ and expose crew/aircraft to another possible attack. Flight ZZZZ-ZZZZ4 [was] uneventful. Day began [and] ended [almost 23 hours later]. Looking back at this flight; scheduling first leg of OE going into a war zone may not be the ideal situation for training. ZZZZ is a high elevation airport surrounded by very high terrain and the possibility of an attack make this a high threat environment. Using ZZZZ1 as an alternate even though the airfield did not have the proper support for a departure is a set up for failure. Crews expect to go to their filed alternate when things go wrong and for a crew to find out that an alternate is not a good option while diverting creates an even higher threat due to lack of loiter fuel. Operations and Dispatch should thoroughly ensure that an alternate is fully capable to support arrivals/departures prior to filing as an alternate for contingency planning. No handler support and lack of crew members ability to retrieve Flight Plan Paperwork for departure after a divert lacks contingency planning in remote areas. I am attaching a Flight Crew Report filed to highlight lack of communication ability and possible solutions. As a side tone; ZZZZ; ZZZZ1 and ZZZZ2 lack proper layover facilities for civilian crews to crew-rest. Exposing crew and aircraft to a possible attack should be planned with higher than normal contingency planning to mitigate crew rest and aircraft asset exposure.
Widebody transport Captain reported that they were instructed to go-around due to base under attack.