Irechekovo Airfield

The primary reason for closure was the large-scale military restructuring and downsizing of the Bulgarian Armed Forces after the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact. With the new geopolitical landscape and significant budget cuts, Bulgaria consolidated its air force into fewer, more strategic bases. Irechekovo, being a forward operating base, was deemed redundant and was decommissioned.

The site is no longer used for aviation and is in a state of disuse. A significant portion of the former airfield, including large areas adjacent to and on the former taxiways, has been repurposed for a large-scale photovoltaic power plant (solar farm). The main runway is still visible but is cracked, weathered, and unusable for aircraft. The hardened aircraft shelters are abandoned and derelict, though some may be used unofficially for agricultural storage by locals. The entire site is a clear example of post-Cold War military infrastructure being repurposed for renewable energy generation.

During the Cold War, Irechekovo Airfield was a key forward operating base for the Bulgarian Air Force. Its strategic location, relatively close to the Turkish border (a NATO member), made it a vital component of the Warsaw Pact's southern flank defense. The airfield was designed to support fighter-bomber and attack aircraft. It was frequently used for training and as a dispersal base for units such as the 22nd Fighter-Bomber Air Regiment (22-ри ИБАП), which was permanently stationed at the nearby Bezmer Air Base. Aircraft that operated from or were dispersed to Irechekovo included the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23BN and the Sukhoi Su-22. The base featured a robust infrastructure with a single concrete runway, extensive taxiways, and numerous hardened aircraft shelters (HAS) designed to protect aircraft from a potential first strike.

There are no known or credible plans to reopen Irechekovo Airfield. The extensive and permanent installation of the solar farm on the property makes any future reactivation for aviation purposes practically impossible and economically unfeasible. The site's future is firmly rooted in renewable energy production, not aviation.