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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Šiauliai Air Base
Šiauliai International Airport (IATA: SQQ, ICAO: EYSA) is an airport located within Šiauliai Air Base, which is a major military facility of the Lithuanian Air Force and one of the air bases of the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission. The joint-use airport is also known by its historic name of Zokniai aerodrome (Lithuanian: Zoknių aerodromas) and is located 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) southeast of the city of Šiauliai in northern Lithuania.

History

Aircraft of the Lithuanian Air Force in Zokniai, 1937

Zokniai area was first used as an aerial warfare facility in 1916–1917, when the German forces built hangars for their Zeppelin airships. The Lithuanian Air Force began expanding during the Interwar period, as Lithuania was acquiring foreign aircraft as well as domestically produced ANBO-series aircraft, making the Kaunas aerodrome insufficient.

In 1931, Zokniai aerodrome was built as a second airbase for the Lithuanian Air Force. It was a base of the 3rd, 4th and 5th squadrons. At that time, it was able to host 35 aircraft, including Ansaldo A.120, Letov Š-20, Gloster Gladiator, de Havilland Dragon Rapide and the domestically produced ANBO 41. For a brief time, the aerodrome hosted Lituanica II.

The concrete runways were first built during the German occupation in 1943. Following the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, the aerodrome was taken over by the Soviet forces. Two parallel runaways, 3.5 km (2.2 mi) and 3.2 km (2.0 mi) long, were built by 1957 for Ilyushin Il-28 and it became a major military airport able to host jet fighters and strategic bombers. It was one of only six Soviet airbases capable of handling the Myasishchev M-4 bomber. Following the independence restoration in 1990, the airport was returned to the Lithuanian Air Force.

In 1990s, it was renovated and equipped for civilian operations. In 1994, Šiauliai Airport gained the status of international airport. It was further modernized in 2004 when Lithuania joined NATO. It became a NATO air base, hosting the Baltic Air Policing mission. The first NATO F-16 jet fighters from the Belgian Air Component landed in March 2004.

Facilities

The airport is owned and administered by the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

Military base

Main article: Baltic Air Policing

Officially Lithuanian Air Force Air Base, more commonly known as Šiauliai Air Base, is the headquarters of the Lithuanian Air Force since nearly all its aircraft operate out of it, including C-27J Spartan transporters and Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin helicopters. The base has Air Force Armament and Equipment Repair Depot. In 2020, around 400 military and civilian staff worked in the air base.

NATO Baltic Air Policing mission provides airspace security for the three Baltic members of NATO, including Quick Reaction Alert. The base hosted a variety of aircraft from the NATO allies, including the fifth-generation fighters F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II as well as other types of aircraft, such as KC-135 Stratotanker and E-3 Sentry (AWACS).

Civilian facilities

The civilian use is primarily for the aircraft maintenance and cargo transportation. The airport has a passenger terminal, meeting the requirements of the Schengen Area, but it is used only for the irregular flights. Since the airport is also a military facility, it is not subject to noise regulations and is open 24 hours a day.

Šiauliai Airport is a regional centre for the aircraft maintenance and parking, with several companies operating in the airport, including "J&C Aero" and "Aviatic MRO". Runways have a capacity to accept larger aircraft, such as Boeing 747 or Airbus A330.

The airport has infrastructure for storage and customs and has been expanding its commercial cargo operations.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Siauliai International Airport". Business Air News.
  2. ^ "Šiauliuose leidosi pirmieji lėktuvai – šiandien kyla modernūs naikintuvai" [The first airplanes landed in Šiauliai - today modern fighter jets are taking off]. lrytas.lt (in Lithuanian). 27 July 2017. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  3. ^ "Šiaulių Oro Uostas - Istorija" [Šiauliai Airport - History] (in Lithuanian). Savivaldybės imonė Šiaulių oro uostas. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021.
  4. ^ Gamziukas, Algirdas (2012). Du dešimtmečiai padangės sargyboje [Two decades in sky guard] (PDF) (in Lithuanian). Lietuvos Respublikos Krašto apsaugos ministerija. ISBN 978-609-412-018-3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 June 2013.
  5. ^ "Tarpukario aerodrome — legendinės asmenybės ir lėktuvai" [Legendary personalities and planes at the interwar airfield]. skrastas.lt (in Lithuanian). 16 January 2010. Archived from the original on 30 April 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  6. ^ "Zoknių karinis aerodromas" [Zokniai military airfield] (PDF) (in Lithuanian). Lithuanian Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Lithuanian Air Force Air Base at Šiauliai to host 53rd NATO Detachment". NATO. 15 April 2022. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Air Force". Lithuanian army.
  9. ^ "Baltic Air Policing". NATO. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  10. ^ "F-22 Raptors fly into Lithuania as part of European tour". Official United States Air Force Website. 27 April 2016. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  11. ^ "US F-35s and allies conduct air policing operations out of Baltic countries". Air Force Times. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Šiauliuose nusileido NATO skraidantis radaras" [A NATO flying radar landed in Šiauliai] (in Lithuanian). 3 November 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  13. ^ "Passengers service". Šiaulių Oro Uostas. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Siauliai International Airport to be home to Europe's largest Aviatic MRO centre". STAT Times. 26 May 2021. Archived from the original on 3 May 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  15. ^ "Šiaulių oro uoste – naujas investuotojas" [Šiauliai Airport has a new investor]. Alkas (in Lithuanian). 14 July 2021. Archived from the original on 3 May 2022.
  16. ^ ""Rava Cargo" Šiaulių oro uoste atidarė muitinės sandėlį" ["Rava Cargo" opened a customs warehouse at Šiauliai Airport]. 15min (in Lithuanian). 3 August 2021. Archived from the original on 3 August 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  17. ^ "Šiaulių oro uostas sieks tapti krovinių pervežimo ir siuntų centru – žadama, kad naudą patirs ir gyventojai" [Šiauliai Airport will aim to become a cargo transportation and shipment center - it is promised that residents will also benefit]. LRT (in Lithuanian). 4 September 2021. Archived from the original on 4 September 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
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