Uiju Airfield

Uiju Airfield
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
ServesUiju, North Korea
Elevation AMSL32 ft / 10 m
Coordinates40°09′06.20″N 124°29′54.80″E / 40.1517222°N 124.4985556°E / 40.1517222; 124.4985556
Map
Uiju Airfield is located in North Korea
Uiju Airfield
Uiju Airfield
Uiju Airfield is located in Asia
Uiju Airfield
Uiju Airfield
Uiju Airfield is located in North Pacific
Uiju Airfield
Uiju Airfield
Uiju Airfield is located in Earth
Uiju Airfield
Uiju Airfield
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
05/23 8,180 2,493 Concrete
Uiju Airfield
Chosŏn'gŭl
의주비행장
Hancha
Revised RomanizationUiju bihaengjang
McCune–ReischauerŬiju pihaengjang

Uiju Airfield (IATA: UJU, ICAO: ZKUJ) is an airport in Uiju County, Pyongan-bukto, North Korea.

History

In May 1982, three STYX Cruise Missile containers arrived at the airfield’s ordnance storage facility. The storage facility consisted of two large, two medium concrete bunkers, two vehicle storage buildings, and three support buildings. In January 1983, 25 Ilyushin Il-28 departed from the airfield and were deployed to Taetan Airport.[2] In November 1983, a STYX Cruise Missile and associated STYX equipment was deployed on the airfield.[3]

In March 2021, the airfield served as the Uiju Quarantine Center, as North Korea’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. By December, the quarantine center opened. The center alos served as a cargo decontamination facility for containers brought in by freight trains from China.[4] In August 2024, the containers were all removed. After three years of absence, 31 Ilyushin IL-28 medium-range bombers arrived at the airfield. The bombers belonged to the 24th Bomber Regiment.

In October 2024, 31 H-5 bombers were spotted on satellite having returned to the airfield, along with several other H-5 and Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 that were likely not airworthy.[5]

The airfield is home to the Korean People's Army Air Force's 24th Bomber Regiment, which has at least 32 Harbin H-5 (Ilyushin Il-28) bombers on site as of 2010.

Facilities

The airfield has a single concrete runway 05/23 measuring 8180 x 174 feet (2493 x 53 m).[6] It is sited in the Yalu River plain, a few miles northeast of the Chinese city of Dandong. It is also a few miles northeast of Sinuiju Airport. It has a full-length parallel taxiway, and several taxiways that access dispersed aircraft stands.


References

  1. ^ "Airline and Airport Code Search". IATA. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  2. ^ "CIA-RDP90T00784R000200550005-9" (PDF). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
  3. ^ "CIA-RDP84T00171R000300140001-4" (PDF). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
  4. ^ Davies, Christian (2021-11-15). "North Korea building project points to reopening of border with China". Financial Times. Retrieved 2022-01-19.
  5. ^ Williams, Peter Makowsky, Martyn (2024-10-07). "Uiju Military Airfield Welcomes Back Bombers - 38 North: Informed Analysis of North Korea". 38 North. Retrieved 2024-10-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Landings database page Archived 2012-03-24 at the Wayback Machine "Landings.Com", accessed 06 Aug 2010