Ravnets Air Base

Ravnets Air Base () , also known as 5th Fighter Air Base, is a former Bulgarian Air Force base located near Ravnets, Bulgaria. Located on the Black Sea coast, 20 km west of Bourgas. It was built in 1950. Home to the HQ and 1st Sqn of the 15th FAR, 2nd Air Defence Division, initially with the MiG-21 but in 1989 received the MiG-29. Since 1994 called the 6th Fighter Air Base of the Tactical Air Corps. Closed in 2000 and demolished.
Short history.
Ravnets Air Base housed a squadron (flying MiG-21s, later MiG-29s) of the 17th Fighter Air Regiment - an integral part of the 2nd Air Defence Division. Later, as 5th Fighter Air Base it was put under the newly established Air Defence Corps and its squadron was named "Sharks"(although unofficially, but still because of its patch and its geographical location close to the sea this is how it used to be called). The base was considered elite because of its proximity to the Turkish border and its task to protect the oil refinery near Burgas, which is deemed of strategical importance to the country. That is the reason for the squadron to be the first (and only) transiting to the MiG-29. As the base deactivated the air unit was moved to Graf Ignatievo, where it is currently residing as 2nd Squadron of the 3rd Fighter Air Base.
History.
On August 14, 1950, the 26th Flying Airpolk (successor to the US Army 2/6 Hogwarts Army Bombing Defense Force) was renamed to the 15th Colonel Aviation Regiment, at which time the division was based on Bozhurishte Airport, a few months earlier - in March - from Karlovo airport). 15th Avirpolk is the first step in the recovery of the reactive technology in Bulgaria - May 1950 - Yak-23. In the second half of 1951 the regiment was rearmed with MiG-15. On April 14, 1952, the unit was transported to Bezmer Airport and four months later to the newly built Ravnets Airport. A little later, the regiment was hugged with the MiG-17F.
From May 1963 (after the disembarkation of the 27th Navy in Balchik) the 15th Yap became a double base - two squadrons at Ravnets Airport (one with MiG-17 and one with MiG-17PF from the disbanded 27th Japanese). one squadron (third) at Balchik Airport, MiG-17F.
In 1967, the first 15th squadron was rearmed with 12 MiG-21FPM fighters. In 1970 the regiment again entered the two-story structure - the first squadron in Ravnets (MiG-21PFM) and the second in Balchik (MiG-17PF and MiG-17F). In 1978, a second squadron was rearmed with the MiG-21FMM (second hand donated by the USSR).
For a year (from autumn 1983 to September 1984), the regiment was again with a three-layer structure - the third squadron was again set up with the idea of being disarmed with MiG-25PD interceptors, but soon this idea was abandoned. the interest of Gabrovnitsa's rearmament with the MiG-23MDD.
In 1988, a first part of the ITS departments and departments undergo training in the USSR, and from summer of the following year it became equipped with the Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter which ended in 1990.
Since 1990, the second squadron has been rearmed with the MiG-21bis (again a second hand, again a USSR gift).
Since September 1, 1994, the 15th place has been disbanded and two air bases have been created at its base - 5 in Ravnets and 6 in Balchik.
In 2000, the fifth aaab was converted to the 5th Air Base, which virtually ceased to exist (in 2001, flights were carried out - the transfer of several aircraft to Graf Ignatievo, although most of them were onshore).