Šiauliai International Airport

Šiauliai International Airport
Šiaulių tarptautinis oro uostas
IATA: SQQICAO: EYSA
Summary
Airport type Public/military
Owner Lithuanian Army
Location Šiauliai, Lithuania
Elevation AMSL 135 m / 443 ft
Coordinates 55°53′38″N 023°23′41″E / 55.89389°N 23.39472°E / 55.89389; 23.39472Coordinates: 55°53′38″N 023°23′41″E / 55.89389°N 23.39472°E / 55.89389; 23.39472
Website www.siauliai-airport.com
Map
SQQ

Location of the airport in Lithuania

Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
14L/32R 3,500 11,483 Asphalt
14R/32L 3,280 10,761 Asphalt
Statistics (2008)
Passengers 1,184
Cargo (tonnes) 2,058
Aircraft movements 228

Šiauliai International Airport (also known as Zokniai Airport, Lithuanian: Zoknių oro uostas) (IATA: SQQ, ICAO: EYSA) is located 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) southeast of the city of Šiauliai, in northern Lithuania. It covers an area of 471 hectares (1,160 acres).

History

The airport was one of the largest military airports in the former Soviet Union. In 1955 it was only one of six Soviet bases capable of handling the new Myasishchev M-4 bomber. The Tupolev Tu-126 was based here between the 1960s and 1970s. It was home to the 53 APIB (53rd Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment) flying MiG-23 aircraft with the ML, MLD, and UB variants[2] and the MiG-27. It was also home to the 18th Guards Military Transport Aviation Division, and the 196 VTAP (196th Military Transport Aviation Regiment) flying Il-76 aircraft.[3] It was a base of the 117 OAP (117th Independent Aviation Regiment) flying An-12PPS aircraft.[3] The last Soviet troops based here left in 1993.


Baltic air policing

Main article: Baltic Air Policing

Šiauliai is home to the NATO Baltic Air Policing forward deployment, providing airspace security for the three Baltic members of NATO.

References

  1. http://www.azworldairports.com/airports/a1960sqq.cfm
  2. Gordon, Yefim (2005). MiG-23/27 Flogger: Soviet Swing-Wing Fighter/Strike Aircraft. Midland. 185780211X.
  3. 1 2 "37 Vozdushnaya Armiya VGK". Brinkster.com.

External links

Media related to Šiauliai Airport at Wikimedia Commons

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