Lipetsk (air base)

Lipetsk Air Base (also given as Lipetskiy, Lipetsky, Shakhm 10, and Lipetsk West) is an air base in Lipetsk Oblast, Russia located 12 km northwest of Lipetsk. It is the combat training center of Russian Air Force, analogous to the U.S. Air Force's Nellis Air Force Base. The base is made up of two medium-sized airfields joined together.

Lipetsk/Military
Su-25SM, MiG-29UB, Su-24M2, Su-34
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OperatorRussian Air Force
LocationLipetsk
Elevation AMSL636 ft / 194 m
Coordinates52°38′6″N 039°26′42″E
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
9,842 3,000 Concrete

In 1925, the Soviet government allowed Germany to open an air combat school at Lipetsk: Lipetsk fighter-pilot school. That permitted Germany to evade treaty restrictions on the development of military aviation, while the Soviet Air Forces received technical advice and access to test results. By 1933, the Soviets concluded that the arrangement was not worthwhile, and the new German government agreed (for different reasons). The school was closed.[1][2][3]

The 4th Center of Combat Application and Conversion of Frontline Aviation, Russia's Top Gun school since around the 1960s, is the most well known unit on the base. Its chief, Col. Kharchevski, became famous after air combat exercises in the US and has become the personal pilot of President Putin.

From the 1960s to 1990, units stationed at Lipetsk include:

  • 4th Centre for Combat Employment and Retraining of Personnel]] (4 TsBP i PLS)
  • 760 IISAP (760th Composite Training and Research Aviation Regiment) flying 14 MiG-29E, 13 Su-17, 16 Su-25, and a number of Su-24, Su-27, and Mi-8 aircraft [4][5] as of the early 1990s.
  • 91 IIAP (91st Training and Research Regiment) flying MiG-23,[6] 23 MiG-29, and 15 Su-27 aircraft as of the early 1990s [4]

In 1992, the 968th Fighter Aviation Regiment arrived from Falkenberg in East Germany. It was flying MiG-23 and MiG-29 aircraft in the mid-1990s. In 1992-1993 it became first a Research-Instructor Fighter Aviation Regiment and then a Research-Instructor Mixed Aviation Regiment.[7] Flying solely MiG-29s by 2004, it later also flew Su-24M aircraft.[5]

Falcons of Russia aerobatic team from Lipetsk Air Base
Falcons of Russia solo aerobatics during Tambov 2008 airshow
Falcons of Russia solo aerobatics during Tambov 2008 airshow

References
  1. Sobolev, D. A.; Khazanov, D. B., A Secret Aviation School, retrieved 26 February 2011
  2. Johnson, Robert (1998). "Planting the Dragon's Teeth: the German Air Combat School at Lipetsk". Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  3. Vercamer, Arvo; Pipes, Jason, German Military in the Soviet Union 1918-1933, retrieved 26 February 2011
  4. "37 Vozdushnaya Armiya VGK". Brinkster.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-16.
  5. Gordon, Yefim (2003). Sukhoi SU-24 (Russian Aircraft in Action). IP Media and Polygon Press. ISBN 1-932525-01-7.
  6. Gordon, Yefim (2005). MiG-23/27 Flogger: Soviet Swing-Wing Fighter/Strike Aircraft. Midland. 185780211X.
  7. Holm, www.ww2.dk/new


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