Thursday, January 22, 2015

A Profile of Kant AB

In light of the recent article I read about Su-25SM pilots using GLONASS, I thought, "why are these guys even in Kyrgyzstan?  What's it like to be a Su-25 pilot there?"

28 Oct 2013 Video of the airbase, 70 years old...



So the previous article I read said they upgraded to Su-25SM last year...this was taken in 2013, so I didn't see anything from those aircraft.



Kant Airbase is a military airfield located in the Chui region of Kyrgyzstan and Russia and is located 20 km east of Bishkek, 2 km south of Kant city.

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The 999th Air Base (Military Unit 20022) is stationed there and is part of the 2nd AFADA.  There are 250 Russian officers and warrant officers, and 150 conscripts.  Su-25SM and Mi-8 are currently based there.  The airfield is 2nd class and is capable of receiving An-22 (partial load), Il-76 (partial load), Tu-154, Yak-42, An-12 and more light aircraft and helicopters of all types.  The runways are 11R / 29 L and is classified 27 R/B/X/T (no clue what this means!).  Backup runway 11L / 29R is used for taxiing and parking.

The Russian MoD plans to strengthen the aviation group at Kant AB immediately upon reconstruction and runway and navigation equipment.  The airfield will serve as a deployment airfield for Engel's Tu-160 and Tu-95MS.

The main task of the airbase is to support the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces (CSTO).

Colonel Andrey N. Samotsvet - Base Commander
Lt Col Igor M. Abdulkin - Deputy Commander
Lt Col Oleg V. Lebedev - Chief of Staff
Lt Col Aleksandr I. Zaval'ko - Deputy Commander and Chief Engineer
Lt Col Gennadiy P. Sakhnenko - Deputy Commander and Chief of Logistics

Guards Colonel Anatolyy A. Fetisov - Chief pilot

The flight crews for the base come from the Lipetsk Center of Combat Employment for the RFAF - which is responsible for the development of new technology and training for front-line pilots.

When the base is reconstructed, it is expected that modernized Su-27SM, Su-24, and Su-25 (already there) will be based here and they are all capable of day/night flights in adverse weather and will be effective in using all types of precision rockets and bombs.


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