Lipetsk
Lipetsk, Lipetsk Oblast in Russia
Su-25SM, MiG-29UB, Su-24M2, Su-34
Lipetsk is located in Lipetsk Oblast
Lipetsk
Lipetsk
Shown within Lipetsk Oblast
Lipetsk is located in Russia
Lipetsk
Lipetsk
Lipetsk (Russia)
Coordinates52°38′6″N 039°26′42″E / 52.63500°N 39.44500°E / 52.63500; 39.44500
TypeAir Base
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence
OperatorRussian Aerospace Forces
Site history
Built1960 (1960)
In use1960 - present
Airfield information
Elevation194 metres (636 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
15/33 3,000 metres (9,843 ft) Concrete

Lipetsk Air Base (also given as Lipetskiy, Lipetsky, Lipetsk-2, 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 Aerospace Forces, analogous to the United States Air Force's Nellis Air Force Base. The base is made up of two medium-sized airfields joined together.

The site is home to the 4th State Centre for Aicrew Training and Field Tests (4th GTsPAPVI) and 968th IISAP.[1]

The base is home to the 968th Instructor-Research Aviation Regiment and the 237th Air Force Display Centre of the Russian Air Force. I. N. Kozheduba - Russian Falcons both part of the 4th Centre for Combat Application and Crew Training.[2]

History

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.[3][4][5]

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:

In 1992, the 968th Fighter Aviation Regiment arrived from Falkenberg in East Germany. It was flying Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 and Mikoyan 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.[9] Flying solely MiG-29s by 2004, it later also flew Sukhoi Su-24M aircraft.[7]

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. ↑ "Russian Air Force today - Russian Western Military District". Eastern Order of Battle. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  2. ↑ "Russian Air Force - Lipetsk (--)". Scramble.nl. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  3. ↑ Sobolev, D. A.; Khazanov, D. B., A Secret Aviation School, retrieved 26 February 2011
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. ↑ Vercamer, Arvo; Pipes, Jason, German Military in the Soviet Union 1918-1933, retrieved 26 February 2011
  6. 1 2 "37 Vozdushnaya Armiya VGK". Brinkster.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-16.
  7. 1 2 Gordon, Yefim (2003). Sukhoi SU-24 (Russian Aircraft in Action). IP Media and Polygon Press. ISBN 1-932525-01-7.
  8. ↑ Gordon, Yefim (2005). MiG-23/27 Flogger: Soviet Swing-Wing Fighter/Strike Aircraft. Midland. 185780211X.
  9. ↑ Holm, www.ww2.dk/new
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