Ostrow military airfield
| Ostrow military airfield | |||
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| Characteristics | |||
| Coordinates | |||
| Height above MSL | 67 m (220 ft ) | ||
| Transport links | |||
| Distance from the city center | 7 km southeast of Ostrow, 57 km south of Pskov |
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| Basic data | |||
| operator | Russian Air Force | ||
The Ostrow military airfield is 7 km southeast of Ostrow and 57 km south of Pskov in the Pskov Oblast (military district West) and near the border with Estonia and Latvia . The Soviet name of the naval aviation base was Остров-5 (Insel-5) . Other US / NATO names were Gorokhovka after the nearby town.
history
During the Cold War , around 63 strategic bombers of the Tupolev Tu-16 type, equipped with nuclear weapons, were stationed at the Soviet air base until 1989. In 1953 the 12th Heavy Bombing Regiment, part of the 116th Air Division, was transferred from the Estonian SSR to Ostrow. From 1960 the unit belonged to the Baltic Fleet and was renamed the 12th Naval Aviation Regiment. Later, twelve Tupolev Tu-142MR (NATO code name: Bear-E) were stationed for submarine reconnaissance.
On December 29, 1989, the base was initially closed. In 1995 the 240th Mixed Research and Training Aviation Regiment was stationed with Sukhoi Su-24 and Tupolev Tu-22M3 fighter jets . In 2000 there were four Su-24s and three Tu-22M3s on the base. In 2005, in addition to the 240th Air Regiment (until 2009), the 444th Center for Combat Application and Re-Training of Flight Personnel and the 5501st Aircraft Reserve Base were stationed.
The 15th Army Aviation Brigade has been stationed at the base since 2013 and is equipped with Mi-28N , Ka-52 and Mi-35M combat helicopters and Mi-26 heavy transport helicopters .