Starokostiantyniv Air Base

Starokostiantyniv (ICAO: UKLS) is an air base in Ukraine, located 4 km (2.5 mi) east of Starokostiantyniv. It is a large military base, with numerous revetted areas on both sides of main runway. There are stands for over 35 large aircraft and about 30 small fighters.

Starokostiantyniv
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OperatorUkrainian Air Force
LocationStarokostiantyniv
Elevation AMSL873 ft / 266 m
Coordinates49°44.7′N 27°16.2′E
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
11/29 8,120 2,475 Concrete

Units stationed at Starokostiantyniv include:

  • 7th Bomber and Reconnaissance Brigade "Petro Franko" flying Su-24M, Su-24MR, L-39M1 aircraft.

In the early 1990s the airbase became home to the 7th Bomber Aviation Regiment flying Su-24M aircraft. During the Cold War the 85th Fighter Aviation Regiment was also located at the base.[1]

On February 13, 1992, shortly after the USSR collapse, the pilots of this airbase hijacked 6 Su-24 airplanes to Russia. To avoid interception by the air defense systems of Ukraine, they flew to Russia through Belarus.[2]

After the Regiment became a Ukrainian formation it was subordinate to the 35th Aviation Group.[3]

Later, the Regiment was reorganized into a Bomber and Reconnaissance Brigade.

In May 2004 the 32 orae was formed from the former 48 BrTA at Kolomyia (air base). In October 2005 the former 32 Independent Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron at Kolminyya joined the brigade as its reconnaissance aviation squadron.[4]

In 2005-2006 the Brigade became first Air Force formation to be composed of professional soldiers and not conscripts.[5]

In October 2018, exercise Clear Sky 2018 in collaboration with the California Air National Guard took place in Starokostiantyniv Air Base. During Clear Sky 2018, 120 sorties using tactical aircraft, 49 helicopter sorties and 20 cargo aircraft sorties were carried out.

The sole F-15D came from the 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, UK, giving the Californian contingent a two-seat Eagle to provide backseat rides to their hosts. The Ukraine Air Force's two-seat aircraft were often used for familiarization sorties and exchange backseat rides during exercise.

Sadly, in the late afternoon on October 16, while carrying out one of these single-aircraft familiarization flights, a Su-27UB1M (‘70 Blue’) crashed resulting in the death of the two pilots, Colonel Ivan Nikolayevich Petrenko, deputy commander of Eastern Air Command/Ukrainian Air Force, and Lt. Colonel Seth ‘Jethro’ Nehring of the California ANG/144th Fighter Wing.[6]

References
  1. http://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/85gviap.htm
  2. D. Lovyagin (1992-02-17). "Ukrainian aircraft in Russia: happiness is the way home" (107) (Kommersant ed.). Archived from the original on 2015-08-28.
  3. Вооруженные силы Украины
  4. Air Forces Monthly, July 2015.
  5. Government of Ukraine, "Військо України" Archived 2007-11-10 at the Wayback Machine
  6. https://www.milavia.net/specials/clear-sky-2018-starokostiantyniv/


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