Vorkuta Sovetsky (air base)

Vorkuta Sovetskiy (also known as Vorkuta East) is a military airfield in the Komi Republic, Russia, located 11 km east of Vorkuta. It was one of nine Air Army staging bases in the Arctic for Russian bomber units.[1][2] It contains one of the largest runways in Russia's Arctic region.

Vorkuta Sovetsky
Vorkuta, Komi Republic in Russia
Tupolev Tu-95 bomber during 2011.
Vorkuta Sovetsky is located in Komi Republic
Vorkuta Sovetsky
Vorkuta Sovetsky
Shown within Komi Republic
Vorkuta Sovetsky is located in Russia
Vorkuta Sovetsky
Vorkuta Sovetsky
Vorkuta Sovetsky (Russia)
Coordinates67°27′56″N 064°18′28″E[1]
TypeAir Base
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence
OperatorRussian Air Force
Site history
Built1960 (1960)
In use1960 - present
Airfield information
IdentifiersICAO: XUYK
Elevation192 metres (630 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
01/19 3,550 metres (11,647 ft) Concrete

Sovetskiy was built in the early 1960s as a staging base for intercontinental Long-Range Aviation bomber strikes (as a so-called 'bounce' airdrome). The airfield was first identified by Western intelligence in 1961.[3] It is maintained by OGA (Arctic Control Group). The 364 OSAE (364h Independent Mixed Aviation Squadron) was based here between 1980 and 1994 with the Antonov An-12 (NATO: Cub), Antonov An-26 (NATO: Curl) and Mil Mi-8 (NATO: Hip).[4]

See also

References

  1. HALO A HEAVY LIFT HELICOPTER VORKUTA AIRFIELD EAST, USSR, CIA-RDP89-00121R000300570004-4, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, April 4, 1982.
  2. STRATEGIC ARMS LIMITATIONS RELATED ACTIVITIES SUMMARY REPORT (SANITIZED), June 1, 1980, CREST: CIA-RDP80T01355A000100140001-2, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC.
  3. PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION OAK REPORT, CIA-RDP78T05164A000200010007-7, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, July 15, 1961.
  4. "364h independent Mixed Aviation Squadron". Soviet Armed Forces 1945-1991. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
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