Akhtubinsk is a military base that belongs to Russian aviation research and testing military institution 929th State Flight Test Centre named for V. P. Chkalov located at

Akhtubinsk Akhtubinsk () is a town and the administrative center of Akhtubinsky District in Astrakhan Oblast, Russia, located on the left bank of the Akhtuba River (a tributary of the Volga), north of Astrakhan, the administrative center of the oblast. Pop ...

Astrakhan Oblast Astrakhan Oblast (; ) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast) located in southern Russia. Its administrative center is the city of Astrakhan. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 1,010,073. Geography Astrakhan's southern border is the ...

, Russia. The then-State Red Banner GK Scientific Research Institute VVS was moved to the base from Chkalov in

Moscow Oblast Moscow Oblast (, , informally known as , ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). With a population of 8,524,665 (Russian Census (2021), 2021 Census) living in an area of , it is one of the most densely populate ...

in 1960, and the 1st (fighters and fighter-bombers), 2nd (bombers), 5th (radio range), 9th (route measuring complex), and 10th (nuclear test) Scientific-Experimental Departments of the Institute were set up at Akhtubinsk that year. In 1990 the institute received its current name. The aerodrome was in use for testing as early as 1948; in June 1948, V. D. Lutsenko, a test pilot and

Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union () was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society. The title was awarded both ...

crashed in an aircraft of unknown type. On October 27, 1949, test pilot E.S. Greenfield died in a crash of a La-15 aircraft at Akhtubinsk during the first show of aviation equipment. On April 9, 1963 test pilot V. I. Grotsky died during a test flight of a

Sukhoi Su-7 The Sukhoi Su-7 ( NATO designation name: Fitter-A) is a swept wing, supersonic fighter aircraft developed by the Soviet Union in 1955. Originally, it was designed as a tactical, low-level dogfighter, but was not successful in this role. On the ...

B fighter-bomber aircraft near Akhtubinsk airfield.

Aircraft

In 2022,

Google Earth Google Earth is a web mapping, web and computer program created by Google that renders a 3D computer graphics, 3D representation of Earth based primarily on satellite imagery. The program maps the Earth by superimposition, superimposing satelli ...

imagery showed two

Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B The Sukhoi S-70 ''Okhotnik-B'' (), also referred to as ''Hunter-B'', is a Russian stealth heavy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) that was being developed during the 2010s by Sukhoi and Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG. Several Test arti ...

sitting on a ramp at Akhtubinsk. Six of the advanced 5th generation

Sukhoi Su-57 The Sukhoi Su-57 (; NATO reporting name: Felon) is a twin-engine stealth multirole fighter aircraft developed by Sukhoi. It is the product of the PAK FA (, prospective aeronautical complex of front-line aviation) programme, which was in ...

(ASCC: Felon) supersonic combat jets were spotted on commercial satellite pictures (and visible in Google Maps) in January 2023.

Russo-Ukrainian War

At least one

decoy A decoy (derived from the Dutch ''de'' ''kooi'', literally "the cage" or possibly ''eenden kooi'', " duck cage") is usually a person, device, or event which resembles what an individual or a group might be looking for, but it is only meant to ...

Su-57 was painted on the airport apron prior to 7 June 2024. On 9 June 2024, the Ukrainian HUR claimed to have damaged two Russian Su-57 fighter jets, for the first time, using drones during a strike on the Akhtubinsk air base in Astrakhan Oblast. With casualties being reported by the HUR after the attack. Further information about the strike was added by the Russian

Telegram channel Telegram, also known as Telegram Messenger, is a Cloud computing, cloud-based, Cross-platform software, cross-platform, social media and instant messaging (IM) service. It was originally launched for iOS on 14 August 2013 and Android on 20 Octo ...

Fighterbomber, which detailed that the attack was carried out by Ukrainian drones and one fighter jet was damaged by shrapnel. The same channel also added that the state of the aircraft is currently being examined which would determine whether or not it can be repaired. The ISW noted the criticism that despite the value of a single Su-57 being an estimated $35 million, it wasn’t protected by a hanger.

Maxar Maxar Technologies Inc. is an American space technology company headquartered in Westminster, Colorado, United States, specializing in geospatial intelligence, Earth observation, and on-orbit servicing satellites, satellite products, and relate ...

satellite imagery showed a crater next to an Su-57 at Akhtubinsk.

References

{{Reflist Russian Air Force bases

Aircraft

Russo-Ukrainian War

See also

References