Dzemgi Airport

Dzemgi Airport is a dual-use military and civilian airfield located near the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur in Khabarovsk Krai, part of the Russian Far East. It serves as a key base for the Russian Aerospace Forces while also handling scheduled passenger flights. The airport is situated approximately 10 kilometers southwest of the city center, on the left bank of the Amur River. Its infrastructure supports operations for both the Sukhoi aircraft manufactured locally and regional commercial aviation.

History

The airfield's origins trace back to the 1930s, coinciding with the rapid industrial development of Komsomolsk-on-Amur under Joseph Stalin's Five-Year Plans. It was significantly expanded during World War II to support the Soviet Air Forces in the Far Eastern theater. In the postwar era, it became intrinsically linked to the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association (KnAAPO), a major manufacturer of Su-27 and Su-57 fighter jets. Throughout the Cold War, the base was a strategically important facility for the Soviet Air Defence Forces and later the Russian Air Force. The civilian terminal was opened to accommodate growing regional travel needs, sharing the runway with military operations.

Facilities

The airport operates a single runway, 06/24, which is 2,500 meters long and surfaced with concrete to handle heavy military aircraft. The air traffic control tower manages both civilian and military movements. Facilities include separate aprons for the Russian Aerospace Forces and commercial aviation, with the military side featuring hardened aircraft shelters and maintenance hangars associated with the Sukhoi plant. The civilian passenger terminal offers basic amenities for travelers. Navigational aids include ILS and VOR systems to support operations in the region's often challenging weather conditions, characterized by dense Siberian fog and heavy snowfall.

Airlines and destinations

Commercial service from the civilian sector is limited, primarily connecting the city to major hubs within Russia. The main carrier operating scheduled flights is Aurora, the regional subsidiary of Aeroflot. Typical destinations include Khabarovsk, which provides onward connections to Moscow, Vladivostok, and other cities across Siberia and European Russia. Occasional charter flights are operated, but the airport's schedule is dominated by the military traffic of the Russian Aerospace Forces and test flights for the adjacent Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association.

Accidents and incidents

On 23 December 1970, a Antonov An-22 military transport aircraft of the Soviet Air Forces crashed shortly after takeoff, resulting in significant fatalities. A notable incident involving a prototype aircraft occurred in September 2011, when a Sukhoi Su-35S fighter jet experienced a landing gear failure upon landing, causing substantial damage to the airframe but no loss of life. The airport's proximity to the major aircraft manufacturing plant has also seen various minor incidents during test flight programs over the decades, though detailed records of many are not publicly available.

See also

* Komsomolsk-on-Amur * Khabarovsk Krai * Russian Aerospace Forces * Sukhoi * Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association * Khabarovsk Novy Airport

Category:Airports in Russia Category:Buildings and structures in Khabarovsk Krai Category:Russian Aerospace Forces bases