987th Maritime Missile Aviation Regiment between 1952 and 1993 with the Tu-16.[3]
In the late 1950s, Severomorsk-3 was an operating location for Tupolev Tu-16 Badger medium bombers and featured an 8200 ft (2500 m) concrete runway.[4][5] In 1970 and 1971, Tu-16 jets in Egyptian Air Force markings were observed conducting training flights at Severomorsk-3.[6][7] During the 1970s, the airfield was designated as a Yakovlev Yak-38 Forger base for the Murmansk area whenever its parent Kiev-class aircraft carrier was in port.[8] Extensive Marston Mat planking was laid at the base in the late 1970s to support the Yak-38's VTOL requirements.[8]
After the USSR's breakup, the main operator of Severomorsk-3 was the 279th Independent Naval Shturmovik Aviation Regiment (279 OMShAP) which joined the base during October 1976,[9] operating at least 41 Sukhoi Su-25 aircraft in 1992, with 4 Su-25UB and 5 Su-25UTG trainers, plus 27 Yakovlev Yak-38 and 1 Yak-38U aircraft.[10] The unit changed its name to the 279th Independent Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment (279 OKIAP) of Russian Naval Aviation sometime between 1992 and 2016 and it made up of two fighter and one training squadrons operating the Sukhoi Su-33, Sukhoi Su-27UB, and Su-25UTG.[1]
The Russian Navy's ZEVS-ELF Transmitter is located directly south of Severomorsk-3.
^THE SOVIET ARCTIC, CIA-RDP79T01018A000300010001-0, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, July 1, 1959.
^OAK - PART 1 MISSION 1008-2: 14-17 JULY 1964, National Photographic Information Center, Washington DC, 1964. (NOTE: Filed incorrectly in CIA CREST as "SOVIETS CONTINUING THEIR EXPANSION OF VLF COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES")