Belaya (air base)
Belaya (ICAO: UIIB) is a significant Russian Aerospace Forces Long-Range Aviation base in Usolsky District, Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, located 18 kilometres (11 mi) north of Usolye-Sibirskoye and 85 kilometres (53 mi) northwest of Irkutsk. From 2009 it has sometimes been known as Srednii. It has significant ramp space and 38 bomber revetments.
| Belaya/Irkutsk | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usolye-Sibirskoye, Irkutsk Oblast in Russia | |||||||
Belaya Shown within Irkutsk Oblast Belaya Belaya (Russia) | |||||||
| Coordinates | 52°54′54″N 103°34′30″E | ||||||
| Type | Air Base | ||||||
| Site information | |||||||
| Owner | Ministry of Defence | ||||||
| Operator | Russian Aerospace Forces | ||||||
| Controlled by | Long-Range Aviation | ||||||
| Site history | |||||||
| Built | 1946 | ||||||
| In use | 1946 - present | ||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||
| Identifiers | ICAO: UIIB | ||||||
| Elevation | 458 metres (1,503 ft) AMSL | ||||||
| |||||||
The base is home to the 200th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Brest Red Banner Order of Suvorov Regiment with the Tu-22M3, the 444th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment with the Tu-22M3 and the 181st Independent Composite Aviation Squadron with the Antonov An-12 and the Antonov An-30. All of the regiments are under the control of the 326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Tarnopol Order of Kutuzov Division.
The base's bomber fleet, consisting at various times of Tupolev Tu-16, Tupolev Tu-22, and Tupolev Tu-22M aircraft, played a considerable role in Asian strategy. The base was especially important in projecting power against the People's Republic of China following the Sino-Soviet split of the late 1960s.