Frutigen Airfield

The closure was a direct result of military restructuring following the end of the Cold War. Frutigen was a 'Reduit' airfield, part of a network of dispersed wartime bases established under the Swiss National Redoubt strategy. As the strategic threat landscape changed, the Swiss Armed Forces consolidated their operations and decommissioned many of these specialized, high-maintenance installations to reduce costs and modernize their infrastructure.

The site has been completely repurposed and is no longer recognizable as an airfield. The former runway and surrounding area are now home to the 'Solarpark Flugplatz Frutigen,' a large-scale photovoltaic power plant that was commissioned in 2020. It is one of the largest ground-mounted solar farms in Switzerland. The historic aircraft caverns still exist and are reportedly used by a local construction company for storage and vehicle maintenance.

Frutigen Airfield was a key strategic asset for the Swiss Air Force for over 50 years. Constructed in 1942 during World War II, its primary purpose was to serve as a protected, hidden base in the heart of the Swiss Alps. Its most notable feature was the extensive aircraft caverns (Flugzeugkavernen) tunneled into the mountain, which could protect fighter jets from aerial attack. The airfield operated a grass runway, later supplemented by a hard-surfaced runway (designated U-84). It was home to various fighter squadrons over the decades, including Fliegerstaffel 1, and operated iconic aircraft such as the Morane-Saulnier D-3800, Messerschmitt Bf 109, de Havilland Vampire, and Hawker Hunter. It played a vital role in Switzerland's Cold War defense posture.

There are zero prospects for reopening Frutigen Airfield. The permanent and significant infrastructure of the solar power plant built directly on the former runway makes any return to aviation operations impossible. The land has been fundamentally repurposed for renewable energy generation.