🇷🇺 Severomorsk-1 Naval Air Base

Severomorsk-1 (ICAO: ULAK), also known as Vayenga-1, is a naval air base located 4 km south of Severomorsk in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It is one of the largest airfields on the Kola Peninsula.

Type of facility and operations:

• It is a military-only facility operated by Russian Naval Aviation and controlled by the 45th Air and Air Defence Forces Army.
• The base can accommodate over 40 bombers and a small number of fighters.
• It has one concrete runway, 14/32, which is 3500 meters (11,483 feet) long.

Notable features or history:

• Built in 1941, the base has been in continuous use since then.
• During World War II, it hosted the 72nd Composite Aviation Regiment-Northern Fleet and No. 151 Wing RAF.
• During the Cold War, it was home to units operating Tupolev Tu-22M, Tupolev Tu-16, and Ilyushin Il-38 aircraft.
• The airfield was originally a compacted sand surface and hangars had to be enlarged to accommodate different aircraft types.

Current status:

• Severomorsk-1 is currently active.
• It is home to the 403rd Independent Composite Aviation Regiment, the 830th Independent Shipborne Antisubmarine Helicopter Regiment, and the 216th Independent Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron.
• High-resolution satellite imagery has suggested a drawdown of forces, with mainly transport aircraft observed on the airfield.

*Sources researched: en.wikipedia.org, globalmilitary.net, eathergraphics.com, military-history.fandom.com, airportprofile.com*