Defense Ministry continues work at Arctic airfields, preparing them to receive strategic missile carriers. As stated by the chief of staff of the Air Force and Air Defense Army, Major General Igor Churkin, Nagurskoye airfield on Alexandra Land has undergone a corresponding reconstruction.
Arctic airfield Nagurskoye completed reconstruction last year, a new runway with a length of 3,5 km, which allows you to take strategic bombers, in particular Tu-95. maybe, as the Tu-160, since according to Churkin, the aerodrome is capable of all-season receiving all classes of aircraft. Previously, the airfield was operated only in the winter..
The Nagurskaya airfield is located on the Alexandra Land island of the Franz Josef Land archipelago next to the northernmost Russian military base “Arctic shamrock”. A tactical group of the Northern Fleet is deployed on the island.
Churkin explained, that at present the Northern Fleet is also practicing the use of fighters from Arctic airfields. Long-range interceptors MiG-31 are on experimental combat duty at the Rogachevo airfield of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago. This airfield, together with Nagurskaya, is used for the duty of Russian fighters in the Arctic region., fighters often climb “intercept” foreign aircraft over the Barents Sea and near the Kola Peninsula.