Kamenny Ruchey

Kamenny Ruchey (also Mongokhto, Alekseyevka, and Mongohto) (Russian: Монгохто, Каменный Ручей) (ICAO: UHKG) is an air base in Russia located 29 km north of Sovetskaya Gavan.[1] Located just north of Vanino, it is a major military naval airfield that has 63 hardened areas. The airfield is designated by CAICA as Kamenny Ruchey, but Russian topographic maps indicate the nearby settlement northeast of the airfield is Mongokhto, which is also synonymous with the military base. The airfield was a joint Soviet Navy base with the 143 MRAD (143rd Naval Aviation Division), flying Tupolev Tu-16, Tupolev Tu-22M, and the 310 OPLAP (310th Independent Long Range Anti-Submarine Aviation Regiment) flying Tupolev Tu-142 aircraft.

Kamenny Ruchey
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OperatorRussian Naval Aviation
LocationSovetskaya Gavan
Elevation AMSL659 ft / 201 m
Coordinates49°14′0″N 140°11′36″E
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
12/30 11,237 3,425 Concrete
Historical image of Kamenny Ruchey from June 1987 shortly after the peak of the Cold War (click to enlarge). Source: NGA Geoengine.

History

The airbase was completed in 1953. During the 1970s it was one of the largest bases in the Soviet Far East, with 8000 residents in Mongokhto. The Navy nuclear weapons storage is either at this airfield or at Maygatka. In 1997 50 family members blocked the runway over back wages.

A 1971 CIA analysis indicated that the base had two regiments flying Tupolev Tu-16 Badger aircraft[2] which were equipped with K-10S Kipper and Kh-22 Kitchen Anti-ship missiles.[1] The Tu-16 aircraft were later phased out when the first Tupolev Tu-22M Backfire aircraft arrived starting in October 1980.[3]

By 1982, the airfield supported two Tu-22M Backfire ASM regiments, two Tu-16 Badger ASM regiments, and one Tu-142 Bear-F ASW regiment subordinate to the Pacific Fleet Air Force.[4]

A high-res Google image from around 2000 showed 19 Tupolev Tu-22M and 14 Tupolev Tu-142 aircraft.

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References
  1. ALEKSEYEVKA AIRFIELD, USSR, CIA-RDP78T05929A001200040012-1, Central Intelligence Agency, October 18, 1965.
  2. SOVIET MILITARY BUILDUP ALONG THE CHINA BORDER AND IN MONGOLIA, CIA-RDP78T05162A000100010038-9, Central Intelligence Agency, February 1, 1971.
  3. POSSIBLE SECOND BACKFIRE B REGIMENT ALEKSEYEVKA AIRFIELD, USSR, CIA-RDP83T00574R000101400001-0, Central Intelligence Agency, October 17, 1982.
  4. Modified Bear F Variant 3, Alekseyevka Airfield, USSR, December 1982, CIA RDP90T00784R000100090010-5, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC.
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