Camping Canadian: Air Bases Where Heavy Bombers Were/Are Based

TU-95 Bear-H - April 23rd 2014
Photo Credit: Unnamed RAF Typhoon pilot from RAF Leuchars
http://theaviationist.com/2014/04/25/raf-releases-photo-bear/

Nuclear-capable heavy bombers were based at the following air bases in the former Soviet Union and United States. These locations were published by the US Government and relate to the START treaties, and I've just correlated with Wikipedia, Wikimapia, and put some push pins on the map. You'll notice that the US bases are very much intact and active, and some of the former Soviet bases have become Russian bases, with the same planes, or the planes pulled back from Kazakhstan and Ukraine after the collapse of the USSR - also, very active.

Barksdale Air Force Base, LA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barksdale_Air_Force_Base

Dyess Air Force Base, TX
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyess_Air_Force_Base

Ellsworth Air Force Base, SD
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellsworth_Air_Force_Base

Minot Air Force Base, ND
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minot_Air_Force_Base

Whiteman Air Force Base, MO
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiteman_Air_Force_Base

Information about the matching Soviet (now Russian) air bases seems harder to pin down, at least all in one spot, but the START treaties and other sources define them as the following. There is an impressive line-up of TU-95 long range bombers on the tarmac at Ukrainka and Engels-2, but we can't really tell how many of those planes are air-worthy.

Engels Air Base (Энгельс-2)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engels-2

Dyagilevo Air Base (Дягилево) (UUBD)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyagilevo

Ukrainka Air Base (Украинка)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainka_(air_base)

Uzyn (now Ukraine)

NA - (49°47'33"N, 30°26'14"E)

Pryluky (now Ukraine)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pryluky_%28air_base%29

Dolon Air Base (Погода) (Now Kazakhstan)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolon_%28air_base%29

Belaya Air Base / Irkutsk Belaya (Белая) (UIIB)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belaya_(air_base)

Vozdvizhenka Air Base

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vozdvizhenka_(air_base)

Ozerne Air Base (Озерное) (UKKO)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozerne_(air_base)

Ulan-Ude Airport (Mukhino) (Мухино)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulan-Ude_Vostochny_Airport

Nizhyn Air Base (now Ukraine)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nizhyn_(air_base)

Shatalovo Air Base (Шаталово)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shatalovo_(air_base)

Zavitinsk Air Base (Завитинск)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zavitinsk_(air_base)

The Soviet strategy would have been to launch the heavy bombers from those bases, and those which had to refuel would do so at "bounce" aerodromes in the Arctic along the way. Looking at the current state of these airfields, you can draw your own conclusions regarding if they are in use or have been abandoned. They sure look well maintained, or even developed, to me. Granted, some of the aviation is civil, but a "bounce" is really only meant to refuel for the 2nd leg of a journey across the pole.

Countering this threat of coming over the pole, NORAD set up 5 4 forward operating locations (FOLs) in Canada where NORAD interceptors could stage out of, and counter the Soviet threat.

Here are those "Bounce Aerodromes"

Sredniy Ostrov Aerodrome (Аэродром Средний Остров) (UODS)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sredny_Ostrov

[No imagery available]

Olenya Aerodrome (Аэродром Оленья) (XLMO)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olenya_(air_base)

Vorkuta Airport (Аэропорт Воркута) (UUYW)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vorkuta_Airport

Tiksi Airport (Аэропорт Тикси) (UEST)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiksi_Airport

Ugolny Airport / Anadyr (Аэропорт Угольный) (UHMA)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugolny_Airport

Mys Shmidta Airport (Аэропорт Мыс Шмидта) (UHMI)