Kupino is a former military air base in Novosibirsk Oblast, Russia. It is located 4 km southeast of the town of the same name. It largely served the interceptor air defense role for the Soviet Air Force.

Kupino
Kupino, Novosibirsk Oblast in Russia
Kupino is located in Novosibirsk Oblast
Kupino
Kupino
Shown within Novosibirsk Oblast
Kupino is located in Russia
Kupino
Kupino
Kupino (Russia)
Coordinates54°21′04″N 077°21′21″E / 54.35111°N 77.35583°E / 54.35111; 77.35583
TypeAir Base
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence
OperatorRussian Air Force
Site history
Built1962 (1962)
In use1962 - 1998 (1998)
Airfield information
IdentifiersICAO: XNNK
Elevation112 metres (367 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
04/22 2,500 metres (8,202 ft) Concrete

Kupino was initially observed in the late 1950s by Western Lockheed U-2 overflights and was originally a training airfield. The 849th Fighter Aviation Regiment PVO, 14th Independent Air Defence Army, was based there from 1962.[1] A 1966 satellite mission identified 30 Sukhoi Su-9 (NATO: Fishpot), confirming its role as an interceptor base, as well as first-generation interceptors that included 16 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 (NATO: Fagot) and 9 Yakovlev Yak-25 (NATO: Flashlight).[2] An air warning radar facility was identified 1 mile northwest of the runway.[2]

The regiment continued to operate the Su-9 into the 1970s.[3] The regiment replaced it in 1980 with the MiG-23P (NATO: Flogger-G).[3]

The base was closed after the end of the Cold War and the aviation regiment was disbanded in 1998.[1]

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b Lenskii & Tsybin 2014, p. 58.
  2. ^ a b CABLE TO DIRNSA FROM NPIC, September 1966, CREST: CIA-RDP78B04558A001400030063-5, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC.
  3. ^ a b PHASEOUT OF FISHPOT IN APVO STRANYY AIRFIELDS USSR, February 1981, CREST: CIA-RDP81T00380R000100980001-5, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC.

Bibliography edit

  • Lenskii, A.G.; Tsybin, M.M. (2014). Советские Войска ПВО в последние годы Союза ССР. Часть 2 [Soviet Air Defense Forces in the last years of the USSR: Part 2] (in Russian). St. Petersburg: Info Ol. OCLC 861180616.