Barhöft: Anti-aircraft Missile Unit 4331 (FRA-4331)

Helipad 3318

For historical information only, do not use for navigation or aviation purposes!
CoordinatesN542604 E0130122 ? (WGS84) Google Maps (approximate location)
Former East Germany (GDR)District of Rostock
Federal stateMecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania)
RegionBaltic Sea
Map with location of Barhöft Helipad 3318, former East Germany
Germany during the Cold War Map
The history of the Cold War airfields: Barhöft

General

Barhöft is a small village on the Baltic Sea coast that had several military facilities during the GDR era. At the end of the 1980s, the port was home to the East German 3rd Border Boat Group and the 2nd Technical Observation Platoon of Border Battalion 2 of the 6th Border Brigade "Coast". The East German Navy Volksmarine operated a radio relay station in Barhöft. West of the village was an surface-to-air (SAM) missile site of the Anti-aircraft Missile Unit 4331 (FRA-4331) of the Air Force/Air Defense (LSK/LV). It was equipped with missiles S-125 Newa (NATO designator SA-3 GOA). In addition, the Ministry of State Security (MfS, Stasi) had an object in Barhöft of unknown purpose.
There were at least two barracks or two parts. One was built in 1965, had a floor area of approx. 4,300 sqm and was covered with 2-storey accommodation and storage buildings. The other was from 1974, had a property size of 19,000 square meters and was built with guard house, accommodation buildings, barracks, warehouse buildings, motor vehicle hall and boiler house.
Another East German source lists for the barracks of FRA-4331:
- Installation ID 01/937
- surface area: 22,3
- housing capacity: 83
For the 1980s, a helipad was designated for the Anti-Aircraft Missile Unit 4331, which is described below.

During the Cold War

In the 1960s

Overview

Satellite image of Barhöft, Germany, 1969
Satellite image of Barhöft, 03 August 1969 - At this time there was no anti-aircraft missile site yet.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey

In the 1980s and early 1990s

Location of airfield

Northwest of Barhöft, exact location unknown. The official coordinates N542538 E0130138 do not match in any geodetic system the distance of 200 m to the observation tower of the Volksmarine, which is mentioned as obstacle.

Use

Helipad 3318 for Anti-aircraft missile unit 4331 (FRA-4331) of former East German Air Force (NVA LSK/LV).

Overview

Barhöft SAM site, East Germany, on a US satellite image 1980
Barhöft SAM site on a US satellite image from 26 July 1980
Source: U.S. Geological Survey

Runways, taxiways, aprons

Dimensions: 600 m x 300 m,
Main takeoff and landing direction: 0° - 270°,
Surface: Gras with loamy ground,
Capacity: 1-2 helicopters.

Telephone

Stabsnetz S1 6338-11

Airspace and procedures

Usable at day during good weather conditions,
Alert time: 60 minutes.

Obstacles

Navy observation tower: distance 200 m, height 30 m

Units

Anti-aircraft Missile Unit 4331 (FRA-4331)
Address:
Post box 84213
Hierarchy 1989:
- Ministry of National Defense (MfNV)
-- National People's Army (NVA)
--- Air Force/Air Defense (LSK/LV)
---- 3rd Air Defense Division (3. LVD)
----- 43rd Surface-to-Air Missile Brigade (43. FRBr)
------ Anti-aircraft Missile Unit 4331 (FRA-4331)

Today

Use

Closed.

Overview

Barhöft anti-aircraft missile site
Overview (2002)
Source: Landesamt für innere Verwaltung M-V, Amt für Geoinformation, Vermessung und Katasterwesen - www.geoportal-mv.de, Data licence Germany – attribution – version 2.0, www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0, http://www.geoportal-mv.de/
Former technical zone
Enlargement: Former technical zone
Barracks Barhöft Germany
Enlargement: Former barracks
State in 2015
State (2015)

Airfields in the vicinity

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