Machulishchy (air base)

Machulishchy (also given as Machulishche) is an air base in Minsk Region, Belarus located 13 km (8 miles) south of Minsk. It has served as a strategic bomber base for the Soviet Union. It also served as a Soviet Air Defence Forces interceptor base.[1]

Machulishchy
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OperatorBelarus Air Force
LocationMinsk District
Elevation AMSL670 ft / 204 m
Coordinates53°46′25″N 027°34′38″E
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
9,842 3,000 Concrete

The primary operator was the 121st Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment. Machulishchy was one of nine major operating locations for the Tupolev Tu-22 Blinder in the mid-1960s.[2] In August 1960, six Tu-22 aircraft from Machulishchy deployed to Olenya air base in the arctic region under naval control, indicating the regiment had a dual Navy-Air Force mission serving an anti-surface warfare role.[3] This capability covered the Baltic Sea with deployment capability into the Barents Sea region.

Later in the 1970s an interceptor regiment at Machulishchy operated Sukhoi Su-9 Fishpot interceptors, upgraded in 1979 to MiG-23P aircraft.[1][4] At the time, the airfield was still host to the Tu-22 Blinder ASM regiment.

References
  1. FLOGGER G AT PVO AIRFIELDS, USSR, CIA-RDP80T01355A000100800001-9, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, August 1, 1980.
  2. PROBABLE ASM ASSOCIATED CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY, SELECTED SOVIET AIRFIELDS, CIA-RDP78T05161A001000010061-1, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, October 1, 1966.
  3. (UNTITLED), CIA-RDP89B00569R000600020011-5, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, July 6, 1962.
  4. PHASEOUT OF FISHPOT IN APVO STRANYY AIRFIELDS USSR, February 1981, CREST: CIA-RDP81T00380R000100980001-5, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC.
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