State Order of Lenin and Order of the Red Banner Flight Test Center named after V.P. Chkalov celebrated its 95th anniversary, press-service of Russian Ministry of Defense reports.
Today the center possesses unique test facilities and equipment. Only here a new or upgraded aircraft as well as new weapons may be tested in full in terms of compliance with the performance specification.
The history of the State Flight Test Center (SFTC) started in 1920, when a test airfield was established at Khodynka Field (Moscow). Later it was transformed into a scientific-research institute of the air forces, and then – into the State Flight Test Center. Since 1960 the center was based at Akhtubinsk airfield (Astrakhan Region).
“Five Twice Heroes of the Soviet Union, 96 Heroes of the Soviet Union and 24 Heroes of Russia did their military service in the SFTC. In times of peace over 3 thousand servicemen were awarded with orders, 58 laureates of the state prizes, over 100 honored test-pilots, more than 90 masters of sports and world-record holders in the area of aviation sport were trained by the center,” said in the statement.
44 Doctors of Science and over 500 Candidates of Sciences defended their thesis in SFTC. A school responsible for training pilots, navigators and testing engineers was opened by the center.
Annually the center carries out over 220 tests, which include at least 1600 flights; over 70 research projects focused on improvement of methodological support of testing of advanced aircraft and weapons are being implemented.
Departments of SFTC are located at 8 bases in Astrakhan, Moscow and Saratov Regions, Kamchatka Peninsula, in Kabardino-Balkaria and Crimea. The center also includes five proving grounds located both in Russia and other countries.
“At present SFTC is cooperating with more than 120 enterprises of the military-industrial sector, scientific institutes, military scientific and research organizations and military units. The center is headed by the Hero of Russia, Honored Test Pilot of Russian Federation, Professor of the Academy of Military Sciences of Russian Federation, Candidate of military sciences, Major General Bariev Radik Abrarovich,” the press-service noted.
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