Engels-2 military airfield
| Angel-2 | |
|---|---|
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| Characteristics | |
| Coordinates | |
| Height above MSL | 37 m (121 ft ) |
| Transport links | |
| Distance from the city center | 5 km southeast of Engels, 14 km southeast of Saratov |
| Street | P-236 |
| Basic data | |
| operator | Russian Air Force |
| Start-and runway | |
| 04/22 | 3500 m of concrete |
Engels-2 is a strategic airport of the Russian Air Force . It is located 5 kilometers east of the city of Engels in Saratov Oblast . Angel 2 is the largest Russian base of operations of the Long Range Aviation for strategic bombers and is Russia's only basis for the heavy bombers of the type Tupolev Tu-160 .
In 1955, Engels-2 was one of only six Soviet bases that could handle the oversized Myasishchev M-4 aircraft. The base was to receive the first Tu-160 aircraft as early as 1987. In the short term, however, these were relocated to Pryluky . In the following years aircraft from later production series were relocated to Engels. In 1994 five Tu-160s were stationed at the base and operational. As part of the START-1 contract, it was announced in 1998 that twenty operational Tu-95 strategic bombers and six heavy Tu-160 bombers are stationed in Engels-2 . In the meantime, more aircraft have been relocated to Engels, so that today there are 14 Tu-160 bombers in Engels. The planes are u. a. designed to accommodate nuclear cruise missiles. Since June 2008, the Tu-95MS and Tupolew Tu-22M 3 long-range bombers have been flying patrol flights over the Arctic and the Atlantic from the base. For this purpose, the bombers are refueled by Ilyushin Il-78 tankers .
units
The following Russian regiments are stationed in Engels-2:
- 121st Heavy Bombing Regiment (Tu-160)
- 184th Heavy Bombing Regiment (Tu-95)
