Engels-2
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| Engels-2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: - ICAO: | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | military | ||
| Operator | Russian Air Force | ||
| Serves | Saratov | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 121 ft (37 m) | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 11483 | 3500 | Concrete | |
Engels-2 (also given as Engel's, Engels', or Zngyelse) is a strategic air base in Russia located 14 km east of Saratov. Engels is a major bomber operations base, and is Russia's sole operating location for the Tupolev Tu-160 (Blackjack). The base contains a very large tarmac and about 10 large revetments.
In 1955, Engels-2 was only one of six Soviet bases capable of handling the oversized Myasishchev M-4 bomber. The base was to have received the first production Tu-160 in 1987 but it went to Priluki, whose units had Tupolev Tu-22M experience. By 1994 Engels-2 had five Tu-160 bombers in operation. In 1998 the START-1 treaty had shown it had 20 operational Tupolev Tu-95 (Bear) bombers and six Tu-160 bombers, all with cruise missile capability[#21].
Units stationed at Engels-2 include:
- 1096 TBAP (1096th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment) flying Tu-22 aircraft through the 1980s, and decommissioned in 1989.
- 200 TBAP (200th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment) flying Tu-160 (Bear) and Tu-134UBL through the 1990s.
- 121 TBAP (121st Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment) flying Tu-160, Tu-95MS, and Tu-134UBK trainers during the 1990s [1].
- 511 IAP (511th Interceptor Aviation Regiment).
- 1230 APSZ (1230th Air Refuelling Aviation Regiment) flying the Myasishchev 3MS starting in 1965 and eventually upgrading to the Ilyushin Il-78.
- 203 Gv APSZ (203rd Guards Air Refuelling Aviation Regiment) flying Ilyushin Il-78, noted during 1991 [1].
[edit] References
- ^ a b Dal'nyaya Aviatsiya. Aviabaza KPOI.
