Luostari airfield
| Luostari | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Луостари | |||||||
| Luostari, Murmansk Oblast in Russia | |||||||
 | |||||||
| Site information | |||||||
| Type | Air Base | ||||||
| Owner | Ministry of Defence | ||||||
| Operator | Russian Ground Forces | ||||||
| Location | |||||||
  Luostari Shown within Murmansk Oblast  Luostari Luostari (Russia) | |||||||
| Coordinates | 69°24′0″N 030°59′18″E / 69.40000°N 30.98833°E | ||||||
| Site history | |||||||
| Built | 1967 | ||||||
| In use | 1967 - 1994 | ||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||
| Identifiers | ICAO: XLML | ||||||
| Elevation | 76 metres (249 ft) AMSL | ||||||
| |||||||
Luostari is a tactical airstrip and a former military air base near Korzunovo in Murmansk Oblast, northwestern Russia. The settlemet was established to service the air base.[1]
It is located just two kilometres from the former village of Ylä-Luostari, adjacent to the village developed around Petsamo (Pechenga) Monastery (the Finnish word luostari means 'monastery').
History
Yuri Gagarin served here after having graduated from the 1st Chkalov Military Aviation School for Pilots in Orenburg (1957–1960). He was assigned to the 769th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 122nd Fighter Aviation Division of the Air Forces of the Northern Fleet flying Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15bis aircraft.[2]
The base was used by the 258th Independent Helicopter Squadron (258 OVE) of the 26th Army Corps of the Soviet Army flying Mil Mi-24 (ASCC: Hind), Mil Mi-35 (ASCC: Monsoon), and Mil Mi-8 (ASCC: Hip) helicopters between 1967 and 1994.[3]
As of August 2019, it is reported as closed[4] and planes are moved to Severomorsk-1 near Safonovo north of Murmansk.[1]
In 2022 The Barents Observer reported that satellite images indicate that a Rezonans-NE radar station is under construction on a hill near the site.[5][6]
References
- ^ a b Cold War airbase will be developed to high-end residential neighborhood, The Baltic Observer, June 10, 2018
- ^ Olga Vorobyova (2011-04-12). "North in the fate of a pioneer". Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star).
- ^ "258th Independent Helicopter Squadron". Soviet Armed Forces 1945-1991. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ "Карта аэродромов России".
- ^ Satellite images reveal construction of Russian radar to track stealthy F-35
- ^ [https://web.archive.org/web/20220809110841/https://antikor.com.ua/articles/556400-rossija_stroit_na_granitse_s_norvegiej_moshchnyj_radar_dlja_vyjavlenija_istrebitelej Россия строит на границе с Норвегией мощный радар для выявления истребителей Больше информации на портале Антикор: https://antikor.com.ua/articles/556400-rossija_stroit_na_granitse_s_norvegiej_moshchnyj_radar_dlja_vyjavlenija_istrebitelej]