Šiauliai International Airport

Šiauliai International Airport (also known as Zokniai Airport, Lithuanian: Zoknių oro uostas) (IATA: SQQ, ICAO: EYSA) is located 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) southeast of the city of Šiauliai, in northern Lithuania. It covers an area of 471 hectares (1,160 acres).

Šiauliai International Airport

Šiaulių tarptautinis oro uostas
Summary
Airport typePublic/military
OwnerLithuanian Army
LocationŠiauliai, Lithuania
Elevation AMSL135 m / 443 ft
Coordinates55°53′38″N 023°23′41″E
Websitewww.siauliai-airport.com
Map
SQQ
Location of the airport in Lithuania
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
14L/32R 3,500 11,483 Asphalt
14R/32L 3,280 10,761 Asphalt
Statistics (2008)
Passengers1,184
Cargo (tonnes)2,058
Aircraft movements228

History

The airport was one of the largest military airports in the former Soviet Union. In 1955 it was only one of six Soviet bases capable of handling the new Myasishchev M-4 bomber. The Tupolev Tu-126 was based here between the 1960s and 1970s. It was home to the 53 APIB (53rd Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment) flying MiG-23 aircraft with the ML, MLD, and UB variants[2] and the MiG-27. It was also home to the 18th Guards Military Transport Aviation Division, and the 196 VTAP (196th Military Transport Aviation Regiment) flying Il-76 aircraft.[3] It was a base of the 117 OAP (117th Independent Aviation Regiment) flying An-12PPS aircraft.[3] The last Soviet troops based here left in 1993.

Baltic air policing
Main article: Baltic Air Policing
See also: Šiauliai Air Base

Šiauliai is home to the NATO Baltic Air Policing forward deployment, providing airspace security for the three Baltic members of NATO. [4]

References
  1. "azFreight.com - Airfreight Directory Search Results". www.azworldairports.com. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  2. Gordon, Yefim (2005). MiG-23/27 Flogger: Soviet Swing-Wing Fighter/Strike Aircraft. Midland. 185780211X.
  3. "37 Vozdushnaya Armiya VGK". Brinkster.com.
  4. Losey, Stephen (5 January 2018). "Lakenheath F-15s intercept Russian fighters in new video". Air Force Times. The Air Force on Friday released a video showing two recent instances in which F-15s deployed to Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania, intercepted Russian Navy Su-30 Flankers near the Baltics [...] The F-15s were from the 493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, which belongs to the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, and were participating in the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa said.

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