Mishkino Air Base

Mishkino Air Base Авиабаза Мишкино
Part of Containment Enforcement Base - Otdalennyy Island
Otdalennyy Island
Alexeyev-Leonov ALe-31BSM aircraft of the 201st Guards Fighter Aviation Wing crica 1985
Type	Military air base
Site information
Owner	1951 - 1994: Soviet Order Air Force 1994 - Present: Licanan Air Force
Controlled by	1951 - 1994 Soviet Order 1994 - Present Licana
Condition	Closed
Site history
Built	1951
In use	Soviet Order: 1951 - 1994 Republic of Licana from 1994 - 2007
Garrison information
Garrison	2201st Air Base Wing
Occupants	1st Squadron, 1195th Fighter Aviation Wing (1952 - 1975) 201st Guards Fighter Aviation Wing (1975 - 1994) 2nd Squadron, 301st Composite Aviation Wing (1980 - 1994)

Airfield information
IATA: none ICAO: SXOI
Summary
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 1/12 6,900 2,100 2/19 11,500 3,500 concrete

Mishkino Air Base

Mishkino Air Base (Vysokaya Rech': Авиабаза Мишкино) (ICAO SXOI) was a  military air base located on Otdalennyy Island about 25 km west of Tiksi. While in operation, this extremely remote Arctic base was one of the northernmost airbases belonging to the Order of Soviet Socialist Republics, as well as being the westernmost military facility of the nation.

Mishkino Air Base was built in the early 1950's with the intention of hosting interceptor aircraft intended to prevent long range bombing raids from nations on the Ordian continent, primarily Trinovantum, as well as to serve as a forward operating base for long range strike assets of the Soviet Order Air Force should the need arise. Throughout its operations. The air bases initial runway was an unsurfaced strip 2,100 meter (6,900 ft) in length and was able to accommodate any aircraft in the Soviet Order inventory at the time, but was usable only in the 8 months of the year with sufficiently frozen ground and was generally serviceable from the end of November to the beginning of March. In 1971, a second runway was added, constructed of concrete and built to a length of 3,500 meters (11,500 feet). Its international callsign was SXOI, the X indicating it was a closed facility to commercial aviation traffic. Originally, the airbase was home to a single squadron of Soviet long-range aviation aircraft. However, as hostilities increased during the Omand Continental War, additional forces were stationed on the island and the base was expanded to accommodate more than a wing of combat aircraft in addition to support units.

The air base was the scene of intense fighting during the final days of the Omandan Continental War following the landing of allied marines near Tiksi in January of 1994. Mishkino Air Base was the last Soviet facility known to fall to the allies, with the base falling in mid February. Following its occupation by allied forces, much of the base was incorporated into the construction of Containment Enforcement Base - Otdalennyy Island by the Republic of Licana. However, a new, more modern facility was constructed to serve as the primary site for the base, and withdrew most of the bases operations from the former Mishkino Air Base facility. The base was completely abandoned by 2007 and has sat derelict snice.

Units

• Soviet Order Air Force
  • Soviet Order Air Force Tactical Aviation
    • 1st Squadron, 1195th Fighter Aviation Wing (1952 - 1975)
    • 3rd Squadron, 5091st Support Wing (1971 - 1990)
    • 201st Guards Fighter Aviation Wing (1975 - 1994)
  • Soviet Order Air Force Long Range Aviation
    • 2nd Squadron, 301st Composite Aviation Wing (1988 - 1994)

Gallery

• 

  Site of the derelict Mishkino Air Base circa 2012, a Soviet sits abandoned on a former parking apron.

• 

  Another image of the abandoned parking area at Mishkino Air Base

• 

  Part of the bases former administrative area, an abandoned radar antenna still stands unused.