KOETHEN AIRFIELD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A005800060003-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 13, 2008
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: December 23, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

COUNTRY.
TOPIC
Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP80-00810A005800060003-2
CLASSIFICATt{ 1 SEC
East Germany REPORT
EVALUATION
DATE OF CON
DATE OBTAINS
REFERENCES
PAGES 2
REMARKS
PLACE OBTA#NEL
PREPARED
23 December 1954
,ENCLOSURES (NO. & TYPE)
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1. No air activity was observed at Koethen airfield on 3, 5 and 9 November 1954.
Overhauling and repair work was being done on MiG-15s or U-MiG-15e in front
of the eastern hangars. The noise of jet engines running on a test stand was25X1
heard.1
2. The following air activity and aircraft were observed at the field on
11 and 18 November:
11 November. Between 1300 and 1500, two take-offs were made by MiG-15s
or U-MiG-15s. The aircraft landed individually after about 15 minutes.
A total of 25 swept-back jet fighters were counted on the landing field
and in front of the hangars.
18 November. At 1200, a MiG-15 or U-MiG-15 took off, flew for a short
time, then landed and taxied in front of the eastern hangar. Eight
individual take-offs were made by swept-back jet fighters. Only one aircraft
was aloft at a time. After the landing, all of the aircraft taxied to the
eastern hangars. It was noticed that the aircraft at the take-off point,
after starting their engines, immediately began taxying and taking off
without running-up their engines. A total of 24 MiG-15s or U-MiG-15s were
observed at the field and parked in the following arrangement:
7 in front of the northeastern hangar
1 in front of the southeastern hangar
6 in front of the northwestern hangar
10 north of the eastern end of the runway.
The following radio and radar installations were seen on 11 and 18 November:
11 November. Two radio trucks were parked at the take-off point. The
Kniferest-type and Fishnet-type radar sets were observed at their previous
locations. The antennas of the sets rotated in a clockwise direction. Two
masts about 12 meters high were seen in the revetments in front of the
northwestern hangar.
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18 !ovember. A radio truck with a glass cupola and a 2-meter-high
rod antenna was seen at the take-off point. The two radio installations
with single masts biraced by 3 guy wires each which had previously been
seen were removed. Two radio installations about 100 meters apart were
being eatablished just east of the revetments at the eastern edge of
the landing field. A radio truck was parked in the vicinity. The masts
were about 12 meters high. No guy wires were seen. The Kniferest-type and
Fishnet-type r-dar sets were still located on the southern edge of the
landing field. The antennas apparently did not rotate.
4. To changes were observed on the AA gun emplacement in the southeastern
corner of the landing field.
5. A group of about 50 soldiers were engaged in excavating a ditch which
began at the flying lane, extended parallel to the fence around the
fi ld, and terminated at a point in line with the northeastern hangar.2
6. During the morning of 18 Iovember, two rows of 8 MiG-15s or U-MiG-15s
each were seen on the dispersal area at the western end of the runway.
Six tank trucks and 2 trucks were parked at the side. Only a few
personnel were seen near the aircraft. Three MiG-15s or U-MiG-15s were
parked in front of the hangars. On 23, 24 and 26 November, repair work
was under wa on ? or 4 swept-back jet fighters in front of the eastern
hangars. The covering was removed from some
aircraft. '.''o air activity was observed.1
7. No changes were observed on the radar sets in the southern section of
the landing field. The umbrella-type antenna previously scen in the
southeastern corner of the landing field not far from the new building
was removed.
8. Excavation work was being done on a stretch .bout 200 meters long in
the eastern section of the landing field. A group of 12 soldiers
supervised by an officer apparently did work on a pipe or cable.
Individual bricks were taken out of the ditch, loaded on a truck and
trucked away through the gap in the fence at the flying lane.2
9. The four buildings located south of the heating plant in the northeastern
corner of the field were still occupied by officers' families.3
1C. Recently an increased number of air force officers have been observed
in the town.4
1. Comment. It is believed that Koethen airfield is still occupied
by 1 fighter regiment and 1 reconnaissance regiment equipped with MHO-15s.
4. I (Comment. An exchange of personnel in the fall was observed at
almost all airfields in the Soviet Zo* of 6ar&ny.
/V/e M X
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Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP80-00810A005800060003-2