| Engels-2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: none – ICAO: none | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Military | ||
| Operator | Russian Air Force | ||
| Location | Saratov, Russia | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 121 ft / 37 m | ||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| m | ft | ||
| 3,500 | 11,483 | Concrete | |
Engels Air Force Base (also given as Engels-2, Engel's, or Zngyelse) is a strategic air base in Russia located 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) east of Saratov. Engels is a major bomber operations base, and is Russia's sole operating location for the Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers. The base contains a 3,500 metres (11,500 ft) runway and about 10 large revetments. It is named after the Communist philosopher, Friedrich Engels.
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In 1955, Engels Air Force Base was one of only 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 Air Force Base had five Tu-160 bombers in operation. In 1998 the START-1 treaty had shown it had 20 operational Tupolev Tu-95 bombers and six Tu-160 bombers, all with cruise missile capability.
By early 2000 the base had received additional bombers from Ukraine as payment for gas. By 2007 the base had 14 Tu-160 bombers, 20 Tu-95 bombers and a unknown number of Tu-22M bombers.
As of 2007, the base had:
The 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division of the 37th Air Army controlled operations at the base up until the Air Force reorganisation of 2009-10.