Trebinje (Zupci) Aerodrome

The aerodrome was a reserve military airbase for the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA). It was abandoned at the beginning of the Bosnian War following the breakup of Yugoslavia. The JNA withdrew its assets, and with no civilian or subsequent military purpose for the new entities in the region, the airport fell into complete disuse and decay. It was not closed for economic reasons in a commercial sense, but rather as a result of military and political dissolution.

The site is completely abandoned and in a state of severe disrepair. The runway and taxiways are cracked, weathered, and significantly overgrown with grass and shrubs. The land is informally used by locals for various purposes, including grazing livestock, agricultural activities, and occasionally as a makeshift track for unsanctioned auto and motorcycle races. There are no functional buildings or airport infrastructure remaining.

Trebinje (Zupci) Aerodrome was constructed during the era of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as a secondary or reserve military airfield ('ratni aerodrom'). Its primary strategic purpose was to serve as a dispersal base in the event of a conflict, allowing the Yugoslav Air Force to scatter its aircraft away from primary airbases to increase survivability. It featured a single asphalt runway (approximately 1800m x 30m) and minimal infrastructure, typical for a backup facility. It was not a permanently manned base but was used for occasional military exercises and as an alternate landing strip for the nearby major airbases like Mostar and Podgorica (then Titograd).

There are zero prospects for reopening the original Trebinje (Zupci) Aerodrome. Its infrastructure is considered derelict and beyond economical repair, and its specifications do not meet modern aviation standards. However, it is crucial to note that a project is underway to build a completely **new** Trebinje Airport at a different location, approximately 15 kilometers west of Trebinje, near the village of Taleža. This new airport project is a significant initiative, primarily funded by the Republic of Serbia in cooperation with Republika Srpska. All development efforts and plans are focused on this new site, rendering the old Zupci aerodrome obsolete and permanently closed.