Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1513581
not lead to any major traffic disruption or chaos. The road is also located close to the eastern border. These, probably, were the reasons behind the decision to restore the former highway strip here, when it was de- cided to conduct a general repair project of the local road between Nidzica and Wielbark. The highway strip here was established from scratch, thus a new standard for such in- frastructure has been set. It is much wider than other road strips as such and probably has a much greater load-bearing capacity. The runway section in question can accommodate large and heavy aircraft of significant wingspan, which has been proven by a landing of a huge C-130 Hercules, during the exercise. Thanks to its dimensions, DOL Wielbark is not as troubleso- me for the pilots landing there, as the legacy highway strips, located in the middle of a forest. Notably, Route 604 has not been the first exercise at DOL Wielbark. Back in 2018, the location was a part of the sce- nario of the largest exercise ever organized by the Polish Armed Forces, involving 10 NATO nations, the „ANAKONDA 18" exercise. Several tasks were completed at the Wielbark strip, within the scope of logistics, and medical support in direct vicinity, but without any air ops. After the repairs of the road were finished in 2021, the new highway strip's infrastructure was used during an exercise, involving the logisticians and elements of securing the air operations. Even though some aircraft appeared over the road, no landings happened back then. The Route 604 exercise organized between September 25th and 29th 2023 was a full-scale test for the DOL Wielbark highway strip. The exercise involved aircraft of the 1st, 2nd Tactical Aviation Wings, 3rd Airlift Wing, and the 4th Training Aviation Wing. The following aircraft were landing on the Route No. 604: MiG-29 Fulcrums, F-16 Falcons, Su-22 Fitters, M-346, as well as CASA C-295M and C-130 Hercules airlifters. Apart from the fixed-wing aircraft, activities were also taking place, involving the JW GROM SOF Unit's S-70i Black Hawk. REPORT