Russia wants more control over Arctic airspace

The leader of Russia’s Radio-Radar troops says they are engaged in a serious effort to enhance control over airspace in the Arctic.

Major General Andrey Koban confirmed to Life Zvuk, a radio program, that new and upgraded military units in the Arctic now are capable of keeping track of movements in the regional airspace both at medium and high altitudes.

In an interview, the military representative underlined that there are operational radio-technical units at the bases in Franz Josef Land, Novaya Zemlya, New Siberian Island, Cape Shmidt, as well as other places.

“In the 1999s we lost the Arctic as a ground for radar monitoring [however], over the last several years we have seriously engaged in restoring control over the Arctic airspace,” Koban said.

The radio-radar capability is vital “because several countries now are attracted to this region,” the major general underlined.

He argues that the new units in early August last year proved their capacities when they discovered and tracked two U.S. B-52 strategic bombers which flew along the whole Russian Arctic border.

Russia is in the process of building and upgrading several new Arctic bases. Among them is the Kotelny base in the New Siberian Islands. Included in that project is the upgraded Temp airfield and the 12,000-square-meter (about 130,000-square-foot) trefoil-shaped Severny Klever housing and administration complex. The facility includes all equipment needed for comfortable living for more than 250 people.

The Kotelny base was declared ready for operations in December.

The radar equipment is safely installed in a way which makes them operational in all seasons and weather conditions, Koban said.