Silistra Polkovnik Lambrinovo Air Base

The closure was a direct result of the end of the Cold War and the subsequent strategic and financial restructuring of the Bulgarian Armed Forces. Key factors include: 1) **Military Downsizing:** Post-Warsaw Pact, Bulgaria significantly reduced its military size and budget, making numerous bases redundant. 2) **Strategic Obsolescence:** The base's role as a front-line fighter installation against a potential NATO threat was no longer relevant. 3) **Technological Obsolescence:** The aging fleet of MiG-21 aircraft stationed there was being phased out. 4) **Economic Reasons:** The civilian passenger service, which ran concurrently, was discontinued due to low passenger demand and the overall economic unprofitability of short domestic routes in post-communist Bulgaria.

The site is currently decommissioned, abandoned, and in a state of advanced decay. The property was transferred from the Ministry of Defence to the Municipality of Silistra. While the concrete runway, taxiways, and distinctive hardened aircraft shelters (HAS) are still visible, they are unusable for aviation without massive investment. A significant portion of the former airport's territory has been repurposed and is now home to the 'Karadzhata' photovoltaic park, one of the largest solar power plants in Bulgaria. The remaining areas are often used for unauthorized activities like car drifting and have suffered from neglect and illegal dumping.

Silistra Air Base was a significant Cold War military installation for the Bulgarian Air Force and the Warsaw Pact. Constructed in the early 1950s, it was a key front-line fighter base due to its strategic location near the Romanian border and the Black Sea. It primarily housed the 21st Fighter Aviation Regiment (21-ви изтребителен авиополк). The base operated fighter-interceptor aircraft, initially the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 and later the supersonic MiG-21 in various modifications. Its main purpose was air defense for northeastern Bulgaria. In addition to its primary military role, the airport also handled scheduled domestic civilian flights operated by Balkan Bulgarian Airlines, connecting the Silistra region with major cities like Sofia and Varna, thus serving a dual military-civilian purpose.

There are no concrete, funded plans for reopening the airport. Over the past two decades, various local politicians and business groups have periodically raised the idea of reviving the airport for cargo, low-cost passenger flights, or general aviation. However, these proposals have never materialized due to significant obstacles. The primary challenges are the prohibitive cost of rebuilding the runway, terminal, and navigation infrastructure to meet modern safety standards, and the lack of a viable business case to justify such an investment, especially given the proximity of major international airports in Varna (VRA) and Bucharest, Romania (OTP). The development of a large solar park on the site further complicates any potential future use as an airfield.