Orlovka (also given as Orlovke or Vernoye) was an airbase of the Soviet Air Defence Forces in Amur Oblast, Russia located 8 km north of Vernoye, in the Svobodny, Amur Oblast area. It is close to Ukrainka, a Long Range Aviation strategic bomber base. In the 1960s Orlovka was a deployment and dispersal airfield, then was upgraded in the early 1970s following an increase in military forces near the Chinese border after the Sino-Soviet split.[1][2] Orlovka is a hardened airfield with a large central tarmac area.

Orlovka
Svobodny, Amur Oblast in Russia
Orlovka is located in Amur Oblast
Orlovka
Orlovka
Shown within Amur Oblast
Orlovka is located in Russia
Orlovka
Orlovka
Orlovka (Russia)
Coordinates51°15′48″N 128°43′12″E / 51.26333°N 128.72000°E / 51.26333; 128.72000
TypeAir Base
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence
OperatorRussian Air Force
Site history
In use1960 - 2001 (2001)
Airfield information
IdentifiersICAO: XHBO
Elevation259 metres (850 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
15/33 2,500 metres (8,202 ft) Concrete

The base was closed in 2001 and is since abandoned.

Units stationed at Orlovka included:

  • 404th Fighter Aviation Regiment (404 IAP) equipped with Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23P (ASCC: Flogger) and then Sukhoi Su-27 (ASCC: Flanker). The regiment moved in from Ozernaya Pad - Kremovo, Primorskiy Kray in 1973; it was established originally in 1944.[3] The regiment was disbanded in 2001 and its awards and honors transferred to the 23rd Fighter Aviation Regiment at Dzemgi.

References edit

  1. ^ SOVIET DEPLOYMENT AND DISPERSAL AIRFIELDS ALONG THE CHINA BORDER AND IN MONGOLIA, CIA-RDP78T05162A000200010005-4, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, August 1, 1971.
  2. ^ CABLE (SANITIZED) FROM NPIC, CIA-RDP78B03826A000500020069-3, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, July 16, 1971.
  3. ^ "404th Tallinskiy order of Kutuzov Fighter Aviation Regiment".