Ćoralići Air Base

Strategic military destruction. During the breakup of Yugoslavia and the onset of the Bosnian War, the retreating Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) deliberately destroyed the facility to prevent it from falling into the hands of Croatian or Bosnian forces. They used more than 50 tons of explosives to collapse the underground structures and crater the runways, rendering the entire complex unusable.

The site is completely abandoned, derelict, and in a state of advanced decay. The five surface runways are cracked, cratered, and overgrown with vegetation. The entrances to the underground hangar complex are sealed by collapsed rock or are accessible but extremely dangerous. The interior tunnels are flooded, structurally unsound, and heavily contaminated with toxic chemicals like Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) from destroyed equipment. The entire area, particularly on the Croatian side of the border which runs through the middle of the base, is heavily contaminated with unexploded landmines and ordnance from the 1990s war. Despite the severe dangers, the ruins attract military history enthusiasts, photographers, and urban explorers. The site is unguarded but entering it is extremely hazardous and strongly discouraged.

The site is more famously known as Željava Air Base (codename: Objekat 505). It was one of the largest and most expensive military construction projects in Europe, built in secrecy between 1957 and 1968. The estimated cost was between $4.5 and $8.5 billion in contemporary US dollars, making it a massive strategic investment for Yugoslavia. The base featured a vast underground complex ('Klek') designed to withstand a direct 20-kiloton nuclear blast. It could house and protect up to 60 MiG-21 fighter jets and sustain over 1,000 personnel for 30 days without any outside contact. The complex had its own power sources, water supply, and advanced air filtration systems. It was home to the 117th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Yugoslav Air Force and served as a central hub for the nation's air defense network. During the Ten-Day War in Slovenia (1991) and the Croatian War of Independence (1991), the base was actively used by the JNA for combat operations. The name 'Ćoralići Air Base' and the ICAO code BA-0013 often refer to the Bosnian portion of the larger Željava complex or a smaller adjacent airstrip, but the coordinates point to the main, now-destroyed facility.

There are no viable plans or realistic prospects for reopening the air base. Over the years, various ideas have been proposed, including converting it into a cargo hub, a commercial airport for the city of Bihać, a motorsport race track, or a military museum and tourist attraction. However, all such proposals are effectively non-starters due to several insurmountable obstacles: 1) Prohibitive Costs: The expense of de-mining the area, conducting a massive environmental cleanup of toxic waste, and restoring any of the infrastructure would be astronomical. 2) Political Complexity: The base straddles the international border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, requiring complex bilateral agreements for any development. 3) Safety: The structural integrity of the underground complex is compromised, and the entire area remains a dangerous minefield. For these reasons, Željava Air Base is expected to remain a decaying monument to the Cold War and the Yugoslav Wars for the foreseeable future.