Dabao Airbase

The facility is not 'closed' in the sense of being decommissioned. Its inaccessibility to the public is due to its function as a high-security People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) base. The 'closure' noted in unofficial records refers to its lack of any public or commercial aviation operations.

Fengcheng Airbase is an active or operational reserve airbase under the control of the PLAAF's Northern Theater Command.

- **Military Readiness:** Satellite imagery confirms the facility is well-maintained, with clear runway markings, taxiways, and support infrastructure. It remains a key component of China's air defense network in the region.
- **Use:** Its current use is exclusively for military purposes, including air defense patrols, training exercises, and as a potential staging point for operations related to the Korean Peninsula. The site is under strict military control and is not used for any civilian, industrial, or agricultural purposes.

The facility, correctly known as Fengcheng Airbase (and sometimes referred to as Dabao due to its proximity to Dabao Town), is a historically significant military airfield. Its primary importance comes from its strategic location approximately 50 km (30 miles) from the China-North Korea border (the Yalu River).

- **Cold War Era:** Constructed as a key frontline fighter base for the PLAAF, likely during the Cold War, to project air power and defend China's vital industrial northeast (Manchuria).
- **Operational Units:** It has historically been associated with the elite 1st Fighter Division of the PLAAF.
- **Aircraft Handled:** Over the decades, it has hosted various generations of Chinese fighter jets, including the Shenyang J-6 (a MiG-19 variant) and the Chengdu J-7 (a MiG-21 variant). It is presumed to have been upgraded to support more modern aircraft.
- **Infrastructure:** The base was built with a long runway (approximately 2,800 meters) and dozens of hardened aircraft shelters, indicating its design for major combat operations.

There are no plans or prospects for this facility to 'reopen' for civilian use. As a strategic and active military airbase, its function is exclusively for the Chinese armed forces and it will remain under military control for the foreseeable future.