Engels-2
Encyclopedia
Engels Air Force Base 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 3500 metres (11,482.9 ft) runway and about 10 large revetments. It is named after the Communist philosopher, Friedrich Engels
.
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 bomber
s, 20 Tu-95 bombers and a unknown number of Tu-22M bombers.
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.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
located 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) east of Saratov
Saratov
-Modern Saratov:The Saratov region is highly industrialized, due in part to the rich in natural and industrial resources of the area. The region is also one of the more important and largest cultural and scientific centres in Russia...
. Engels is a major bomber operations base, and is Russia's sole operating location for the Tupolev Tu-160
Tupolev Tu-160
The Tupolev Tu-160 is a supersonic, variable-sweep wing heavy strategic bomber designed by the Tupolev Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Although several civil and military transport aircraft are larger in overall dimensions, the Tu-160 is currently the world's largest combat aircraft, largest...
strategic bombers. The base contains a 3500 metres (11,482.9 ft) runway and about 10 large revetments. It is named after the Communist philosopher, Friedrich Engels
Friedrich Engels
Friedrich Engels was a German industrialist, social scientist, author, political theorist, philosopher, and father of Marxist theory, alongside Karl Marx. In 1845 he published The Condition of the Working Class in England, based on personal observations and research...
.
History
In 1955, Engels Air Force Base was one of only six Soviet bases capable of handling the oversized Myasishchev M-4Myasishchev M-4
The Myasishchev M-4 Molot , USAF/DoD reporting name "Type 37", NATO reporting name 'Bison'.) is a four-engined strategic bomber designed by Vladimir Myasishchev and manufactured by the Soviet Union in the 1950s to provide a bomber capable of attacking targets in North America...
bomber. The base was to have received the first production Tu-160 in 1987 but it went to Priluki
Pryluky (air base)
Pryluky is an air base in Chernihiv Oblast, Ukraine located 6 km west of Pryluky. This airfield was Ukraine's primary Tupolev Tu-160 bomber base . There are revetments for 20 large aircraft.Pryluky accepted USSR's first Tu-160 in April 1987, building its fleet up to 19 by 1994...
, whose units had Tupolev Tu-22M
Tupolev Tu-22M
The Tupolev Tu-22M is a supersonic, swing-wing, long-range strategic and maritime strike bomber developed by the Soviet Union. Significant numbers remain in service with the Russian Air Force....
experience. By 1994 Engels Air Force Base had five Tu-160 bombers in operation. In 1998 the START-1
START I
START was a bilateral treaty between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. The treaty was signed on 31 July 1991 and entered into force on 5 December 1994...
treaty had shown it had 20 operational Tupolev Tu-95
Tupolev Tu-95
The Tupolev Tu-95 is a large, four-engine turboprop-powered strategic bomber and missile platform. First flown in 1952, the Tu-95 entered service with the former Soviet Union in 1956 and is expected to serve the Russian Air Force until at least 2040...
bombers and six Tu-160 bombers, all with cruise missile capability.
By early 2000 the base had received additional bombers from Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
as payment for gas
Gas
Gas is one of the three classical states of matter . Near absolute zero, a substance exists as a solid. As heat is added to this substance it melts into a liquid at its melting point , boils into a gas at its boiling point, and if heated high enough would enter a plasma state in which the electrons...
. By 2007 the base had 14 Tu-160 bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
s, 20 Tu-95 bombers and a unknown number of Tu-22M bombers.
Aircraft
As of 2007, the base had:- 14 Tupolev Tu-160Tupolev Tu-160The Tupolev Tu-160 is a supersonic, variable-sweep wing heavy strategic bomber designed by the Tupolev Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Although several civil and military transport aircraft are larger in overall dimensions, the Tu-160 is currently the world's largest combat aircraft, largest...
s - 20 Tupolev Tu-95Tupolev Tu-95The Tupolev Tu-95 is a large, four-engine turboprop-powered strategic bomber and missile platform. First flown in 1952, the Tu-95 entered service with the former Soviet Union in 1956 and is expected to serve the Russian Air Force until at least 2040...
s - Unknown amount of Tupolev Tu-22M-3Tupolev Tu-22MThe Tupolev Tu-22M is a supersonic, swing-wing, long-range strategic and maritime strike bomber developed by the Soviet Union. Significant numbers remain in service with the Russian Air Force....
s - 1 Ilyushin Il-62Ilyushin Il-62The Ilyushin Il-62 is a Soviet long-range jet airliner conceived in 1960 by Ilyushin. As successor to the popular turbo-prop Il-18 and with capacity for almost 200 passengers, the Il-62 was the largest jet airliner when it first flew in 1963. It entered Aeroflot service on 15 September 1967 with...
The 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division
22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division
The 22nd Guards Donbass Red Banner Heavy Bomber Aviation Division was a Soviet Air Forces formation. It was a Long Range Aviation division active from 1942 to 2008-9. Included in the 37th Air Army High Command. Commander of the division was Major General Alexander Blazhenko...
of the 37th Air Army
37th Air Army
The 37th Air Army of the High Supreme Command was the strategic bomber force of the Russian Air Force from 1998 to 2009...
controlled operations at the base up until the Air Force reorganisation of 2009-10.
External links
- Engel's at GlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...