Kalinka Airfield Explained

Kalinka Airfield
(Blagodatnoye)
Icao:UHHS
Location:Blagodatnoye
Pushpin Map:Russia Khabarovsk Krai#Russia
Pushpin Map Caption:Shown within Khabarovsk Krai
Pushpin Label:Kalinka
Elevation-F:151
Elevation-M:46
R1-Number:05/23
R1-Length-F:2600
R1-Length-M:800
R1-Surface:Concrete
R2-Number:05/23 (closed)
R2-Length-F:8202
R2-Length-M:2500
R2-Surface:Concrete

Kalinka Airfield is a civilian airfield located in Khabarovsk Krai, Russia located 23 km east of Khabarovsk near the town of Kalinka.

It was originally Blagodatnoye (Russian: 10-й участок, Kalinka) a former Russian military airbase and was part of the 11th Independent Air Defence Army, Soviet Air Defence Forces and hosted an interceptor regiment flying Sukhoi Su-9 (NATO: Fishpot) and Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 (NATO: Fresco) aircraft.[1] It was closed as a military base in 2009.

It is used by light aircraft.

History

From November 1948 to October 1952, the 582nd Fighter Aviation Regiment was stationed on aircraft flying Lavochkin La-7 (1948-1950), Lend-Lease Bell P-63 Kingcobra (1950) and the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 (1950-1952). In October 1950, the regiment relocated to the airfield Denshahe (China).

From June 1948 until its disbandment in 1994, the 301st Fighter Aviation Regiment was based on Yakovlev Yak-9, Yakovlev Yak-11, P-63 Kingcobra (1953-1953), MiG-15 (March 1953 to 1955), Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 (September 1953 to 1962), Sukhoi Su-9 (February 1962 to 1976), and the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MLD (1976 to 1994).[2]

From 1968 until its disbandment in 1988, the 26th Guards Aviation Regiment of fighter-bombers (26th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment since 1979) was based on the Sukhoi Su-7 (1968–1972) and Sukhoi Su-17 (1972) aircraft (until 1979), and the Sukhoi Su-24 (1979 to 1988).[3] [4]

From 1988 to 1991, the 216th Fighter Aviation Regiment was based at the airfield, using Sukhoi Su-27 aircraft.[5] [6] In 1991 it moved to Komsomolsk-na-Amure.

From 2010 onward, the airfield was no longer used for military purposes. Civilian operators include the Federation of Aviation Sports of the Far East, ChelAvia-Vostok, Representative Office of the Khabarovsk Regional Branch of AOPA-Russia. Satellite imagery shows the maintained portion of the runway was shortened to 800 m (2600 ft).

Notes and References

  1. https://web.archive.org/web/20170123045732/https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP78T05162A000100010038-9.pdf SOVIET MILITARY BUILDUP ALONG THE CHINA BORDER AND IN MONGOLIA
  2. https://web.archive.org/web/20170123072428/https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/document/cia-rdp79t00889a000800160001-4 THE LIKELIHOOD OF SINO-SOVIET HOSTILITIES: A PROGRESS REPORT ON A QUANTITATIVE PROJECT
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20170123120147/https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP78T04752A000400010007-6.pdf OAK SUPPLEMENT PART 3 KH-9 MISSION 1205 10 MARCH - 4 APRIL 1973
  4. http://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/bap/26gvbap.htm
  5. http://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/216iap.htm
  6. http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=48.388520&lon=135.403919&z=13&m=w&show=/467238/BLAGODATNOYE-Air-Base-RU-28th-Fighter-Aviation-Division-1st-Red-Banner-Air-Army-Soviet-Air-Force&search=khabarovsk Wikimapia entry: Blagodatnoye