Lyubimets Airport

The closure was a direct result of the large-scale restructuring and downsizing of the Bulgarian Armed Forces following the end of the Cold War. As Bulgaria realigned its strategic posture and prepared for NATO membership, numerous Soviet-era military installations were deemed economically unsustainable or strategically redundant in their original roles. The closure was driven by these military and economic factors.

The site is no longer an active airport for flight operations. After its closure, the infrastructure, including the runway and hardened aircraft shelters, fell into disrepair. However, due to its enduring strategic location, it has been repurposed. A significant portion of the former airbase is being developed into a NATO Forward Logistics Site (FLS). It now serves as a storage and logistics hub for NATO and U.S. military equipment, including a large fuel depot and warehousing facilities. While the main runway and taxiways are still physically intact, they are not maintained for regular flight operations. Additionally, parts of the expansive area have been converted for civilian use, most notably for the construction of a large photovoltaic (solar) power plant.

Historically known as Uzundzhovo Air Base (Летище Узунджово), it was a key frontline military airbase for the Bulgarian Air Force during the Cold War. Its strategic location, just a few kilometers from the borders of NATO members Greece and Turkey, made it critically important to the Warsaw Pact's southern flank. The base was home to the 21st Fighter-Bomber Air Regiment (21-ви изтребително-бомбардировъчен авиополк). Over its operational history, this regiment flew various Soviet-made aircraft, starting with the MiG-17 and later upgrading to more advanced ground-attack aircraft like the MiG-23BN and the Sukhoi Su-22M4/UM3K. The base's primary mission was air-to-ground combat and providing close air support, with its hardened aircraft shelters and extensive infrastructure reflecting its high-alert status.

There are no known plans or prospects to reopen Lyubimets Airport for public or commercial civilian air traffic. Its revival is strictly in a military logistics capacity for NATO. While it is conceivable that the runway could be refurbished to handle military transport aircraft (like the C-130 Hercules or C-17 Globemaster III) for specific missions related to the logistics hub, its designated primary function is as a ground-based logistics, storage, and staging facility, not as a permanently manned, active airbase for flying units.