Vlorë Air Base

The closure was a result of multiple factors: the end of the Cold War rendering its strategic mission obsolete, the extreme obsolescence and lack of spare parts for its Soviet and Chinese-made aircraft, severe economic decline, and the final blow from the 1997 civil unrest which destroyed its remaining operational capability.

The site of the former Vlorë Air Base is currently an active construction zone. The old military infrastructure is being demolished and redeveloped to build the new Vlorë International Airport (VIA). The site is no longer a derelict military base but is being transformed into a modern civilian airport.

Vlorë Air Base was a key strategic military installation for the Albanian Air Force during the Cold War. Constructed with Soviet assistance in the 1950s, it was strategically located on the Strait of Otranto, controlling access to the Adriatic Sea. It housed fighter squadrons, initially equipped with Soviet MiG-15 and MiG-17 jets, and later with Chinese variants like the Shenyang J-5 and J-6 after Albania's political shift towards China. Its primary mission was air defense for southern Albania and maritime patrol. The base is notable for its underground tunnels and hardened aircraft shelters (bunkers), characteristic of Cold War-era military design to protect aircraft from attack.

The original Vlorë Air Base will not be reopened in its military capacity. Instead, the site is being completely repurposed as the new Vlorë International Airport (VIA), a public-private partnership project intended to serve as Albania's third international airport, focusing on boosting tourism for the southern coastal region. Construction began in 2021, and the new airport is projected to become operational in 2025.