Baranovichi (air base)

{{Short description|Air base in Belarus}}

{{Infobox military installation

| name = Baranovichi

| ensign = Flag of the Belarusian Air Force.svg

| ensign_size = 100px

| native_name =

| partof =

| location = Baranavichy, Brest Region

| nearest_town =

| country = Belarus

| image = NASA FIRMS 2024-11-10 Baranovichi.png

| alt =

| caption = Satellite imagery of Baranovichi air base

| image2 = 250px

| alt2 =

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| type =

| coordinates = {{Coord|53|5|40|N|26|2|45|E|type:airport|display=inline,title}}

| pushpin_map = Belarus

| pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Belarus

| pushpin_label = Baranovichi

| pushpin_label_position =

| ownership = Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus

| operator = Air Force and Air Defence Forces of the Republic of Belarus

| controlledby =

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| built = {{Start date|1950}}

| used = 1950 - present

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| battles = 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

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| footnotes = Tim Vasquez, [http://www.weathergraphics.com/tim/russia/Baranovichi.htm Baranovichi]

| IATA =

| ICAO = UMMA

| FAA =

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| elevation = {{Convert|183|m|0}}

| r1-number = 04/22

| r1-length = {{Convert|3000|m|0}}

| r1-surface = Concrete

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}}

Baranovichi is an air base of the Air Force and Air Defence Forces of the Republic of Belarus and formerly of the Soviet Air Force. It has the ICAO airport code UMMA.Foxbat.ru, [http://www.foxbat.ru/maks/baranovichi2006/baranovichi2006_01.htm Pictures 29.04.2006]

It is home to the 61st Fighter Air Base, flying Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29s, and Sukhoi Su-30s.{{cite web|url=https://scramble.nl/planning/orbats/belarus/belarus-air-force#UMMA636|title= Baranovichi (UMMA) Барановичи|publisher=Scramble.nl|access-date=3 March 2022}}

It is located to the south of the city of Baranovichi. In 1950 the 61st Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Soviet Air Defence Forces' 2nd Air Defence Army was established at the base.{{cite web|url=http://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/61iap.htm |title=61st Fighter Aviation Regiment PVO |publisher=Ww2.dk |date= |accessdate=2022-09-18}}

The base has been in major use since November 7, 1951 when it received the 45th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division and 203rd TBAP and became one of the prime strategic bomber base of the early 1950s. Holm confirms the 45th TBAD arrived in November 1951, but gives the receiving base's coordinates as 53 5 51N, 26 2 50E.{{cite web|url=http://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/division/bad/45tbad.htm |title=45th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division |publisher=Ww2.dk |date= |accessdate=2022-09-18}} The 45th TBAD was under the 79th Guards Bomber Aviation Corps, and later the 50th Air Army. It conducted numerous Tupolev Tu-16A sorties to the high arctic starting in the mid 1950s. It also deployed a Tu-16 to Tiksi and onward to ice station SP-6 for field trials in 1958.

Baronovichi was one of nine major operating locations for the Tupolev Tu-22 Blinder in the mid-1960s,[https://web.archive.org/web/20170123125833/https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP78T05161A001000010061-1.pdf PROBABLE ASM ASSOCIATED CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY, SELECTED SOVIET AIRFIELDS], CIA-RDP78T05161A001000010061-1, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, October 1, 1966. which had an anti-surface warfare role in the Baltic Sea well into the 1980s.[https://web.archive.org/web/20170123015257/https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/document/cia-rdp84t00491r000100520001-9 ZAPAD-83 EXERCISE, USSR], CIA-RDP84T00491R000100520001-9, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, January 1, 1984. Baronovichi also hosted an interceptor regiment flying Mikoyan MiG-25 Foxbat aircraft in the 1980s.

Several Sukhoi Su-35S of the 23rd Fighter Aviation Regiment (23 IAP) from Dzyomgi Airport of the Russian Air Force were deployed to Baranovichi between February and April 2022. They flew sorties in the Russian invasion of Ukraine before withdrawing to Russia during the retreat from Kyiv.{{cite book|title=AirForces Monthly|date=November 2022|publisher=Key Publishing Ltd|location=Stamford, Lincolnshire, England|pages=36}}