Jēkabpils Air Base
| Jēkabpils Air Base | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: none – ICAO: EVKA | |||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||
| Location | Jēkabpils, Latvia | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 289 ft / 88 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 56°32′06″N 025°53′30″E / 56.53500°N 25.89167°ECoordinates: 56°32′06″N 025°53′30″E / 56.53500°N 25.89167°E | ||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Jēkabpils (ICAO: EVKA), also known as Krustpils, is an air base located 3 kilometres (2 mi) northeast of Jēkabpils, a town in Latvia.
During the Soviet era it was home to the 886 ORAP (886th Independent Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment) flying Su-17 and Su-24MR aircraft.[1] The 886th REgiment was subordinated to the 15th Air Army, 4.68 - 1977, VVS Baltic Military District, 1977–1988, and then to the 15th Air Army again from 1988 to 1993. One squadron (Su-17M4R) operated in Afghanistan (Bagram Air Base - 34 56 45N, 69 15 44E) from September 1988 to January 1989. Several reconnaissance units would take turns operating in Afghanistan, and would be known as the 229th independent Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron while being based there. The regiment was disbanded in 1993. The airfield was privatised by AS Jēkabpils lidosta.[2]