Ugolny Airport
Encyclopedia
Ugolny Airport (also Leninka, Ugolnyye Kopi, Ugolnoye) is a mixed-use military and civil airfield in Siberia located 11 km east of Anadyr
, separated from the town by the waters of Anadyrsky Liman. The airfield was originally constructed sometime in the 1950s as a staging base for Long Range Aviation
bombers such as the Tupolev Tu-95
and Tupolev Tu-22M
(as a so-called 'bounce' airdrome), but during the Cold War
years it become the primary hub for civilian flights in the Chukotka
region.
Though the Soviet-built Ilyushin Il-62
was a workhorse of the route from Moscow Domodedovo International Airport
to Anadyr for many decades, sometime in 2006 or 2007 Transaero began placing US-built Boeing 767
-300 aircraft on the route (and from July 30, 2009 - the Boeing 777
-200). There is occasional charter aircraft service from Nome, Alaska
to Anadyr.
Anadyr's history as a bomber base dates back to the 1950s and the Russian Air Force's OGA (Arctic Control Group) is responsible for maintaining the facility. Interceptors such as the Sukhoi Su-15
TM were based at Anadyr from the 1960s to the early 1990s; in 1982, the 171st Fighter Aviation Regiment PVO was transferred from Bombora airfield, Gudauta
, in the Abkhazian ASSR of the Georgian SSR ot Ugolny. The 171st Regiment reported to the 23rd Air Defence Corps, 11th PVO Army
. The regiment was disbanded in 1992. No fighters are currently based there. In 2001 the airfield was visited by Tupolev Tu-95
MS and Ilyushin Il-78
aircraft on exercise from Engels air base.
It was featured in the American novel Flight of the Old Dog
.
Anadyr (town)
Anadyr is a port town and the administrative centre of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, the extreme north-eastern region of Russia. It is at the mouth of the Anadyr River, on the tip of the southern promontory that sticks out into Anadyrskiy Liman...
, separated from the town by the waters of Anadyrsky Liman. The airfield was originally constructed sometime in the 1950s as a staging base for Long Range Aviation
Long Range Aviation
Long Range Aviation was the branch of the Soviet Air Forces tasked with long-range bombardment of strategic targets with nuclear weapons. During the Cold War, it was the counterpart to the Strategic Air Command of the United States Air Force....
bombers such as the 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...
and 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....
(as a so-called 'bounce' airdrome), but during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
years it become the primary hub for civilian flights in the Chukotka
Chukotka Autonomous Okrug
Chukotka Autonomous Okrug , or Chukotka , is a federal subject of Russia located in the Russian Far East.Chukotka has a population of 53,824 according to the 2002 Census, and a surface area of . The principal town and the administrative center is Anadyr...
region.
Though the Soviet-built Ilyushin Il-62
Ilyushin Il-62
The 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...
was a workhorse of the route from Moscow Domodedovo International Airport
Domodedovo International Airport
Moscow Domodedovo Airport or Domodedovo International Airport is an international airport located in Domodedovsky District, Moscow Oblast, Russia, south-southeast of the centre of Moscow...
to Anadyr for many decades, sometime in 2006 or 2007 Transaero began placing US-built Boeing 767
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
-300 aircraft on the route (and from July 30, 2009 - the Boeing 777
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
-200). There is occasional charter aircraft service from Nome, Alaska
Nome, Alaska
Nome is a city in the Nome Census Area in the Unorganized Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska, located on the southern Seward Peninsula coast on Norton Sound of the Bering Sea. According to the 2010 Census, the city population was 3,598. Nome was incorporated on April 9, 1901, and was once the...
to Anadyr.
Anadyr's history as a bomber base dates back to the 1950s and the Russian Air Force's OGA (Arctic Control Group) is responsible for maintaining the facility. Interceptors such as the Sukhoi Su-15
Sukhoi Su-15
The Sukhoi Su-15 was a twin-engined supersonic interceptor developed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s to replace the Sukhoi Su-11, which was becoming obsolete as the United States and Britain introduced newer and more capable strategic bombers...
TM were based at Anadyr from the 1960s to the early 1990s; in 1982, the 171st Fighter Aviation Regiment PVO was transferred from Bombora airfield, Gudauta
Gudauta
Gudauta is a town in Abkhazia and a centre of the eponymous district. It is situated on the Black Sea, 37 km northwest to Sukhumi, the capital of Abkhazia....
, in the Abkhazian ASSR of the Georgian SSR ot Ugolny. The 171st Regiment reported to the 23rd Air Defence Corps, 11th PVO Army
11th Air Army
The 11th Air Army is a unit of the Russian Air Force, which was located in the Russian Far East and Pacific Coast area, and its zone of responsibility covered the Far East Military District....
. The regiment was disbanded in 1992. No fighters are currently based there. In 2001 the airfield was visited by 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...
MS and Ilyushin Il-78
Ilyushin Il-78
The Ilyushin Il-78 is a four-engined aerial refueling tanker based on the Il-76.-Design and development:...
aircraft on exercise from Engels air base.
It was featured in the American novel Flight of the Old Dog
Flight of the Old Dog
Flight of the Old Dog is a 1987 thriller novel written by Dale Brown. The novel's descriptions of B-52 controls and operations are based on Brown's knowledge of the systems as a USAF navigator...
.