SOVIET FIGHTER TRAINING FACILITIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84T00171R000202340001-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 25, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: October 1, 1983
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/25: CIA-RDP84T00171 R000202340001-1
imagery analysis report
Soviet Fighter Training Facilities (S)
Se
Z-12100/83
IAR-0062/83
OCTOBER 1983
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NOFORN
SOVIET FIGHTER TRAINING FACILITIES (S)
INTRODUCTION
1. Developments within the flight training programs of Soviet Aviation of the Air Defense Force
(APVO) and the Air Forces of the Military District/Group of Forces (MD/GOF) indicate a continuing
effort to modernize tactical aviation training forces by phasing out aging trainer aircraft. Satellite imagery
from January 1980 through September 1983 has revealed that a change of trainer aircraft has taken place
at 40 of the 100 airfields associated with the flight-training program. This change demonstrates the
initiative the Soviets are taking to insure that their flight-training program is keeping pace with the
upgrading currently underway in the operational units of the APVO and the Air Forces of the MD/GOF.
(S/W N)
2. This report contains eight annotated photographs and two tables. (U)
DESCRIPTION
APVO Training
Actual flight instruction takes place at
seven associated airfields and at the operational
conversion training unit at Murom Airfield (Table
1). At Stavropol, FLAGON and MAYA aircraft, aug-
mented with FLOGGER and L-39 aircraft, are used
in pilot training.
4. The most significant change at the APVO
training facilities during the reporting period has
been the July 1980 introduction of FOXHOUND A
aircraft at Murom Airfield (Figure 1), which has
historically been associated with new aircraft de-
ployment in the APVO. The FOXHOUND A is a
twin-engine, two-seat, all-weather interceptor and
is the first Soviet aircraft with a true lookdown/
shootdown capability2. Other aircraft upgrading
associated with APVO training includes the de-
ployment of FLAGON aircraft at Tikhoretsk and
Salsk Southwest Airfields and L-39 aircraft at
Groznyy East and Stavropol Southeast Airfields
(Figure 2). (S/WN)
Fighter Training
6. Fighter training is currently conducted at
six higher military aviation schools that include a
total of 48 airfields, 16 of which have had aircraft
upgraded since 1980. This upgrading has generally
entailed the introduction of L-39 aircraft although,
in some instances, upgrading to FLOGGER and
FITTER aircraft have occurred. (S/WN)
(Continued p.7)
Table 1.
APVO Aviation Schools and Associated Airfields
A. Stavropol Higher Military Aviation School
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Airfields/BE Number
Military District
Aircraft Currently Assigned Remark
s
Construction on
parallel taxiway
since June 81
is probably
complete; FLA
FAGOT/FRES
GON A replaced
CO
2.
Groznyy East
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3.
Ordzhonikidzevskaya
North Caucasus
MAYA
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4.
Tikhoretsk
North Caucasus
FLAGON A, D FLAGON D first
identified in
Apr 81
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5.
Salsk Southwest
North Caucasus
FLAGON A, D, F; FLOGGER FLOGGER first
identified in Feb 82
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6.
Stavropol Southeast
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7.
Marinovka
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B. Operational Conversion Training Unit
Moscow FOXBAT A, FOXHOUND A, FOXHOUND A first identified in
FLAGON F, FLOGGER B/G Jul 80
WNINTEL
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Table 2.
Airforces of the MD/GOF Training Schools and Associated Airfields
Airfields/BE Number Military District
Aircraft Currently Assigned
A. Fighter Training
Armavir Higher Military Aviation School
1.
Armavir
North Caucasus
FLOGGER B, FISHBED D/F
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2.
Khanskaya
North Caucasus
FISHBED D/F
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3.
Armavir Southwest
North Caucasus
FISHBED D/F
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4.
Kazi-Magomed
Transcaucasus
MAYA
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5.
Salyany
Transcaucasus
MAYA
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6.
Sangachaly
Transcaucasus
MAYA
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Borisoglebsk Higher Military Aviation School
Moscow
FISHBED D/F
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2.
Povorino South
Moscow
MAYA
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3.
Buturlinovka
Moscow
FISHBED D/F, L-39
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4.
Zherdevka
Moscow
MAYA
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5.
Otkhozheye
Moscow
MAYA
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6.
Ryazhsk
Moscow
MAYA
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7.
Staro-Yuryevo
Moscow
MAYA
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8.
Kaluga/Vorotynsk
Moscow
MAYA, FRESCO, MIDGET
MAYA first identified in
Jul 82
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V
Chernigov Higher Military Aviation School
1.
Chernigov
Kiyev
L-39, FLOGGER B/C,
Phase-out of FISHBED/MONGOL
FISHBED J/K/L
in Jan 82
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FLOGGER B
FLOGGER B replaced FISHBED in
Sep 80
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3.
Konotop
Kiyev
L-39
L-39 replaced MAYA in Jun 80
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4.
Chernigov West
Kiyev
L-39
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5.
Gorodnya
Kiyev
L-39
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6.
Dobryanka West
L-39
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7.
Uman
FISHBED J/K/L
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8.
Ivangorod
FISHBED J/K
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9.
Verkhnaya Khortitsa
MAYA
New parallel concrete taxiway
Jul 82
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V
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Military District
Aircraft Currently Assigned
Kharkov Higher Military Aviation School
1. Chuguyev
FLOGGER, FISHBED D/F
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2. Lebedin
FISHBED
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3. Akhtyrka
L-39
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4. Peski
L-3 9
-39 replaced MAYA in Aug 82
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5. Piryatin
L-3 9
-39 replaced MAYA in May 82
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6. Palmira
MAYA
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7. Kupyansk - Uzlouoy
FISHBED D/F
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8. Izyum
MAYA
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9. Bliznetsy
L-39
-39 observed in May 82 after
extensive airfield renovation
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Yeysk Higher Military Aviation School
FITTER A replaced FRESCO,
MIDGET, and MAYA in Mar 81
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FITTER A
FITTER replaced FRESCO and
MIDGET in Mar 80
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3. Zernograd North Caucasus
MAYA
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4. Tatsinskiy North Caucasus
MAYA
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5. Bataysk North Caucasus
MAYA
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6. Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy North Caucasus
MAYA
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7. Taganrog Northwest North Caucasus
FITTER A, B
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8. Millerovo Northwest North Caucasus
FITTER A
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9. Yegorlykskaya West North Caucasus
MAYA
Airfield under construction with
24 MAYA present in Aug 82
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Volgograd Higher Military Aviation School
MAYA
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2. Log North Caucasus
MAYA
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3. Kotelnikovo North Caucasus
FISHBED D/F and J/K
FISHBED J/K first identified in
May 81
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4. Oktabrskiy/Askay North Caucasus
FISHBED J/L/N
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5. Kamyshin Northwest North Caucasus
FISHBED J/K
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FISHBED J/K
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B. Operational Conversion Training Unit
Moscow
FLOGGER (all models),
FROG FOOT A first identified in
FITTER H, FROG FOOT A,
Jun 82; FORGER first identified in
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Moscow
FORGER, FULCRUM
FENCER A, B. C, C MOD;
Aug 82
FENCER C MOD first identified in
FITTER H, FOXBAT B/D
Oct 81
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Airfields/BE Number Military District
Aircraft Currently Assigned
C. Independent Training Air Regiments
1. Ovruch Southwest Carpathian
FITTER
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2. Totskoye Volga
Extensive aircraft and airfield
modernization in 79-80
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3. Bagay-Baranovka Volga
FLOGGER C, D; FISHBED
FAGOT/FRESCO phased out
D/F
in May 80
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4. Sital Chay Transcaucasus
FROG FOOT A
FROG FOOT A first identified
0
in Apr 81
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D. Bomber Training
Barnaul Higher Military Aviation School_
1. Slavgorod North Siberian
MAYA, FISHBED
FISHBED replacing MAYA in
Mar 82
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2. Slavgorod South Siberian
MAYA
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3. Novoromanovo North Siberian
MAYA
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4. Aleysk Siberian
MAYA
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5. Kamen Na Obi Northwest Siberian
BREWER, MAESTRO
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6. Biysk Northwest Siberian
MAYA
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Orenburg Higher Military Aviation School
1. Orenburg Southwest Volga
MAYA, COKE/CURL
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2. Orenburg South Volga
MAYA
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3. Orenburg Northeast Volga
MAYA, MOD CRUSTY
MOD CRUSTY first identified in
May 82
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4. Sol-Iletsk Volga
MAYA
0
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5. Orsk Volga
MAYA, MOD CRUSTY
MOD CRUSTY first identified in
L,
Apr 82
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6. Terensay Volga
BEAGLE
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Tambov Higher Military Aviation School
BEAGLE, COOKPOT Nav
MOD CRUSTY first identified
MOD, L-39, MAYA, MOD
(at Tambov) in Mar 82; L-39
2. Michurinsk Northwest Moscow
CRUSTY
MAYA
first identified in Mar 81
MAYA replaced BEAGLE in 1980
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3. Tula North Moscow
MAYA
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4. Rasskazovo East Moscow
MAYA
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5. Kirsanov Moscow
MAYA
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6. Priluki Moscow
MAYA
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E. Navigator Training
Chelyabinsk Higher Military Aviation School
1. Chelyabinsk/Bakal Ural
CRUSTY, Nav MOD,
CURL Nav MOD identified
COOKPOT, and CURL
in Mar 81
2. Kamensk Uralskiy Ural
Nav MOD
BADGER
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3. Shadrinsk Ural
CRUSTY
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4. Kustanay West Ural
CUB, COKE
25X1
5. Uvelskiy Ural
BEAGLE, CRUSTY Nav MOD
CRUSTY Nav MOD first
identified in Mar 81
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Airfields/BE Number Military District Aircraft Currently Assigned Remarks
F. Transport Training
Balashov Higher Military School
1. Balashov Southeast Volga
CRUSTY, COOKPOT, CUB,
CURL Nav MOD
CUB, MAIL
MAYA, COKE
COKE, CURL
MAYA
MAYA
New airfield under construction
adjacent to old airfield
G. Foreign Training
Frunze Higher Military Aviation School
1. Frunze Northwest Central Asia HIND, HIP, HOPLITE
2. Tokmak Central Asia
3. Kant Central Asia
4. Lugovoy Central Asia
Krasnodar Higher Military Aviation School
1. Krasnodar
2. Primorsko-Akhtarsk
3. Kushchevskaya West
L-39, MIDGET, FRESCO, L-39 first identified in May 80
BEAGLE
L-39, MAYA, MIDGET, L-39 first identified in May 80
FRESCO, FISHBED
FISHBED J/K/L, FLOGGER B, L-39 first identified,in May 80
L-39, FLOGGER D/F,
FLOGGER C
North Caucasus FOXBAT, FITTER C/D & J/K, FITTER J/K first identified in
FISHBED D/F Jun 81
North Caucasus L-39, MAYA
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7. The Air Forces of the MD/GOF use six
additional airfields for advanced pilot training on
latest-model aircraft (Table 2). Four of these
airfields house independent training air regiments
where advanced training and tactics are taught,
e.g. Totskoye Airfield (Figure 3). The other
two airfields house operational conversion train-
ing units where experienced crews train on new
airframes. (S/WN)
Operational Conversion Training
8. Aircrew training for newly deployed
fighter aircraft usually takes place at Voronezh
Airfield Southwest or Lipetsk Airfield West, both
operational conversion training units. The most
advanced Soviet fighter aircraft are normally seen
at these two airfields before operational deploy-
ment, The FULCRUM A, the Soviet's newest air-
superiority fighter aircraft, has recently been iden-
tified at Lipetsk West, A high count of 11 was
observed on (Figure 4; only six are
shown in graphic). An exception to the training
pattern occurred when 12 FROGFOOT A aircraft
were at Sital Chay Airfield for possible aircrew
training between April and June 1981 (Figure 5)
before initial deployment to Shindand Airfield (BE
in Afghanistan for combat operations.
Before this deployment, significant numbers of
FROGFOOT A aircraft were seen only at the prod
uction facility and at the flight test centers, A
second squadron of FROGFOOT A aircraft de-
ployed to Sital Chay in August 1982. The number
of FROGFOOT aircraft has continued to increase;
as of September 1983, 29 Frogfoot A aircraft were
at this airfield. FROGFOOT A aircraft were first
seen at Lipetsk in May 1982. In addition to FROG-
FOOT A aircraft training, Lipetsk West Airfield
currently is used to train MD/GOF pilots convert
ing to FLOGGER aircraft and FITTER H aircraft.
lS/WN)
9. Voronezh Airfield houses the conversion
training unit for ground-attack aircrew transition
to the FENCER, including the FENCER C MODI-
FIEDt (Figure 6).a Before the mid-1970s, FENCER
training was conducted at Lipetsk West Airfield;
however, overcrowded conditions there probably
prompted the move to Voronezh, Some of the
aircraft at Voronezh may also be involved in train-
ing activities not related to aircrew conversion,
Reconnaissance flight training is conducted at Vor-
onezh and all late-model reconnaissance fighter
aircraft, except the FISHBED H, are represented
there. (S/WN)
10. Four FORGER vertical take-off and land-
ing (VTOL) aircraft were at Lipetsk West in August
1982. This was the first time FORGER aircraft
were observed at an MD/GOF-associated airfield.
In mid-1981, however, FORGER aircraft were de-
ployed at Shindand Airfield for two months. Until
that time, the FORGER aircraft had been deployed
The FENCER C Mod aircraft has been referred to as the
N10D-NOSE FENCER or the MOD FENCER. Unlike the
other FENCER models, the FENCER C MOD has a~
meter fuselage plug placed bet~seen the for~aard edge
of the canopy and the nose radome and a single wing
fence mounted on the outboard portion of each wing
glow,' (S\N)
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only to naval units, and crew training had been
conducted only at Saki Airfield A
few weeks before deployment of the FORGER
aircraft to Lipetsk, a VTOL runway was completed
at the airfield. Four FORGERs have remained there
since, an indication that the Soviets are probably
attempting either to consolidate their advanced
pilot training or to use the FORGER in a land-
based role, (S/WN)
11, The other changes seen at fighter bases
of the Air Forces of the MD/GOF involved intro-
ducing L-39 (replacing the MAYA) or upgrading to
the latest-model fighter aircraft. Similar upgrading
is expected as older aircraft are phased out of the
inventory. (S/WN)
Tactical Bomber Training
12. Some of the upgrading that has occurred
at tactical bomber training fields reflects a new
trend in the active aircraft inventory. Tactical
bombers, such as the BEAGLE and the BREWER,
are being replaced with counterair and ground-
attack type aircraft. In accordance, the Tambov
and Orenburg higher military aviation schools
have almost completely phased out the tactical
bomber trainer aircraft and replaced them with
the MAYA and the L-39 trainer aircraft. (S/WN)
Navigation Training
13. A number of changes associated with
MD/GOF and APVO navigator training have oc-
curred, In March 1981, CURL Nay Mods (an air-
craft modified with sextant ports along the fuse-
lage) were identified for the first time at Chelya-
binsk/Bakal Airfield (Figure 7), In addition, an up-
grade from CUB and CURL to CRUSTY Nay Mod
aircraft occurred in January 1981 at Uvelskiy Air-
field, In March 1982, the first operational deploy-
ment of the Modified CRUSTY (a special purpose
navigation/flight training aircraft; the Modified
CRUSTY is distinguished by its long pointed nose)
was at Tambov Airfield. The Modified CRUSTY has
subsequently been seen at Orenburg Airfield
Northeast and Orsk Airfield (Figure 8). Modified
CRUSTY, CRUSTY Nay Mod, and CURL Nay Mod
aircraft are all probably used to provide in-flight
navigation training for recent graduates of the
navigator schools. (S/WN)
~h
,1 1.1
FIGURE 1. CURL NAV MOD AND CRUSTY NAV MOD AT CHELYABINSK/BAKAL AIRFIELD
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All applicable satellite imagery acquired from January 1980 through September 1983 was used in the preparation
of this report. (S/WN)
DOCUMENTS
1. DIA. DDB-2680-52-78, Soviet Military Schools (U), Jun 78 (U)
2. DIA. DST-1320S-032-82, FOXHOUND A Weapon System (U), 24 May 1982 (SECRET/WNINTEL/NOFORN*)
3. AIR FORCE, FTD. 2660-P-127/06-82, Air Force Foreign Technology Bulletin (U), 3 May 1982 (SECRET/WNIN-
TEL/ NOFORN/NOCONTRACT*)
Comments and queries regarding this report are welcome. They may be directed to Lieutenant
USAF, Warsaw Pact Forces Division, Imagery Exploitation Group, NPIC,
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Z-12100/83 SECRET
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