website design software
Flag Counter
Untitled471

Soviet MiG-23M ‘Flogger-B’ aircraft storage
 in the Turkmen desert
Soviet MiG-23M ‘Flogger-B’ row at the Yangadzha storage airport in 1991

Soviet MiG-23M/UB ‘Flogger-B/C’ row at the Yangadzha storage airport in Turkmenistan in 1992. Photo: Andrey Marusich

It is known that the early MiG-23 airframe's lifetime was very short. In the early seventies the MiG Design Bureau determined the MiG-23M Flogger-B’s original service life be set at 1,500 hours and 17 years; the twin-seater has an original service life of 1,500 or 1,750 hours and 17 years.

The calendar life of the early MiG-23M fighter aircraft expired around between 1988 and 1989. This type of aircraft was obsolete at the time, and the Air Force has no planed to extend its lifespan. Following the example of the American Arizona depot, two Soviet aircraft depot were designed for the Turkmen desert! Here, (Kzyl-Arvat and Yangadzha airport) similar to the Arizona desert, there was little rainfall and low humidity.
The 56th Storage and Cutting base formed at the Kzyl-Arvat airport in the late eighties. The first retired MiG-23M aircraft arrived at the Kzyl-Arvat airport From Central Europe in 1988. Here at this time, where Su-17s were already guarded too, from the 217th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment. Since December 1990, the unnecessary Su-25 aircraft have also been stored here. In 1991 the Soviet Air Force stored more than two hundred MiG-23Ms, forty Su-25s and several Su-17s

The 56th Storage and Cutting base formed at the Kzyl-Arvat airport in the late eighties. The first retired MiG-23M aircraft arrived at the Kzyl-Arvat airport from Central Europe in 1988. Here at this time, where Su-17s were already guarded too, from the 217th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment. Since December 1990, the unnecessary Su-25 aircraft have also been stored here. In 1991 the Soviet Air Force stored more than two hundred MiG-23Ms, forty Su-25s and several Su-17s. Photo: Google Earth
Former Soviet MiG-23M ‘Flogger-B’ storage in Turkmenistan in 2007

Former Soviet MiG-23M ‘Flogger-B’ storage in Turkmenistan in 2007
Former Soviet 18th Air Defense Training Center's MiG-25 ‘Foxbat’ interceptor at the Yangadzha airport in 1991

Former Soviet 18th Air Defense Training Center's MiG-25 ‘Foxbat’ interceptor at the Yangadzha airport in 1992. Photo: Andrey Marusich
In 1991, a new storage base was opened in Yangadzha airport. It was the Soviet 18th Air Defense Training Center's airport. The first MiG-25 and MiG-23 aircraft arrived from this center here. The Soviet Airforce stored at the Yangadzha airport some MiG-25, Su-15 interceptor, and nearly one hundred and fifty MiG-23M aircraft.

In 1991, a new storage base was opened in Yangadzha airport. It was the Soviet 18th Air Defense Training Center's airport. The first MiG-25 and MiG-23 aircraft arrived from this center here. The Soviet Airforce stored at the Yangadzha airport some MiG-25, Su-15 interceptor, and nearly one hundred and fifty MiG-23M aircraft. Photo: Google Earth

The Soviet Air Force stored nearly three hundred and fifty MiG-23M/UBs at the Yangadzha and Kzyl-Arvat airport in the Turkmen desert. The Russian companies used these aircraft as a parts mine for the world’s MiG-23s in the 1990s.

All three photos were taken at Yangadzha airport about 2002.

You might be interested in:

Yangadzha airport:

Soviet Air Defense Forces: The 116th and the 18th Air Defense Training Center



Kzyl-Arvat airport:

The Soviet 217th Fighter-Bomber Air Regiment's life at Kzyl-Arvat airport in the seventies

 

Iranian Revolution effect on the Soviet 49th Tactical Air Army

 

Soviet-Iranian border guard in the eighties