Jēkabpils Air Base

Jēkabpils (ICAO: EVKA), also known as Krustpils, is an air base located 3 kilometres (2 mi) northeast of Jēkabpils, a town in Latvia. During the 1980s it was one of 17 airfields hosting the Soviet Union's tactical reconnaissance aircraft regiments.[1]

Jēkabpils Air Base
IATA: none ICAO: EVKA
Summary
Airport type	Military
Location	Jēkabpils, Latvia
Elevation AMSL	289 ft / 88 m
Coordinates	56°32′06″N 025°53′30″E
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 2,500 8,202 Concrete

During the Soviet era it was home to the 886 ORAP (886th Independent Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment) flying Su-17 and Su-24MR aircraft.[2] In 1984 the normal complement of the air base was up to nine MiG-25RB, 14 Su-17M3, 8 to 12 Yak-28R, and 3 to 7 MiG-21R.[1] At the time, the aging MiG-21R and Yak-28R were being retired from service at the air base.[1]

The 886th Regiment was subordinated to the 15th Air Army from April 1968 to 1977, then VVS Baltic Military District from 1977 to 1988, and then to the 15th Air Army again from 1988 to 1993. One squadron (Su-17M4R) operated in Afghanistan (Bagram Air Base - 34 56 45N, 69 15 44E) from September 1988 to January 1989. Several reconnaissance units would take turns operating in Afghanistan, and would be known as the 229th Independent Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron while being based there. The regiment was disbanded in 1993.

After the Cold War, the airfield was privatised by AS Jēkabpils lidosta.[3]