Soltsy-2 (air base)

Soltsy-2 (also spelled Sol'tsy, Soltsy, Solcy, Solcy 2) (ICAO: XLLL) is an air base in Novgorod Oblast, Russia located 2 km north of Soltsy and 72 km southwest of Novgorod. It contains large aircraft revetments, with a separate compound of 9 hardened areas about 1 mile from the airfield.[1]

Soltsy-2
Сольцы (Sol'tsy)
Soltsy, Novgorod Oblast in Russia
Tu-22M3 of the Russian Air Force at Soltsy in 2007
Soltsy-2 is located in Novgorod Oblast
Soltsy-2
Soltsy-2
Shown within Novgorod Oblast
Soltsy-2 is located in Russia
Soltsy-2
Soltsy-2
Soltsy-2 (Russia)
Coordinates58°8′48″N 030°19′54″E
TypeAir Base
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence
OperatorRussian Air Force
Controlled byLong-Range Aviation
Site history
Built1951 (1951)
In use1951 - present
Airfield information
IdentifiersICAO: XLLL
Elevation81 metres (266 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
05/23 3,000 metres (9,843 ft) Concrete

The base is home to the 40th Composite Aviation Regiment which flies the Tu-22M as part of the 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division.[2]

In 1992, the headquarters of the 326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division (326 TBAD) arrived from Tartu Raadi Airfield in newly independent Estonia. In 1998 the division headquarters was moved to Ukrainka in the Far East.[3]

The 840th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (840 TBAP) flew Tupolev Tu-22M aircraft from November 1951 through to 2010.[4] The regiment was disbanded in 2010 following the changes initiated by the Russian military reforms from 2008.[5]

Airfield is properly maintained for occasional training of Russian Air Force and to service governmental flights in Novgorod region.[6][7]

Natural Resources Defense Council lists Soltsy-2 as a nuclear weapons facility.

References
  1. "Дальняя авиация" (in Russian). Airbase.ru. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  2. "Russian Air Force - Soltsy (ULLL)". Scramble.nl. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  3. Tartu, Estonian SSSR, 12.59 - 1992 [58 24 08N, 26 49 19E]. Michael Holm, 326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, accessed September 2011
  4. "840th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment". Michael Holm. Note Holm appears to incorrect state the regiment disbanded in 1994.
  5. Warfare.ru, Air Force structure, accessed September 2011
  6. "Они улетели, но обещали вернуться". Новгородские Ведомости (in Russian). Retrieved 2020-10-02.
  7. "Премьер-министр Мишустин прилетел в Сольцы". ВНовгороде.ру – Все новости Новгородской области. 2020-02-11. Retrieved 2020-10-02.



This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.