Vorkuta Sovetsky (air base)
Appearance
Vorkuta Sovetsky | |||||||
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Vorkuta, Komi Republic in Russia | |||||||
Tupolev Tu-95 bomber during 2011. | |||||||
Coordinates | 67°27′56″N 064°18′28″E / 67.46556°N 64.30778°E[1] | ||||||
Type | Air Base | ||||||
Site information | |||||||
Owner | Ministry of Defence | ||||||
Operator | Russian Air Force | ||||||
Site history | |||||||
Built | 1960 | ||||||
In use | 1960 - present | ||||||
Airfield information | |||||||
Identifiers | ICAO: XUYK | ||||||
Elevation | 192 metres (630 ft) AMSL | ||||||
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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.
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
[edit]- Chekurovka, abandoned Arctic staging base
- Aspidnoye (air base), abandoned Arctic staging base
- Tiksi West, abandoned Arctic staging base
References
[edit]- ^ a b HALO A HEAVY LIFT HELICOPTER VORKUTA AIRFIELD EAST, USSR, CIA-RDP89-00121R000300570004-4, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, April 4, 1982.
- ^ STRATEGIC ARMS LIMITATIONS RELATED ACTIVITIES SUMMARY REPORT (SANITIZED), June 1, 1980, CREST: CIA-RDP80T01355A000100140001-2, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC.
- ^ PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION OAK REPORT, CIA-RDP78T05164A000200010007-7, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, July 15, 1961.
- ^ "364h independent Mixed Aviation Squadron". Soviet Armed Forces 1945-1991. Retrieved 19 December 2022.