Milovice Air Base

Geopolitical and military. The air base was closed following the end of the Cold War and the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia. Its closure was a direct result of the agreement signed in Moscow on February 26, 1990, for the complete withdrawal of the Soviet Central Group of Forces from Czechoslovak territory. The last Soviet soldiers and equipment departed in mid-1991, and the base was handed over to Czechoslovak authorities, effectively ending its function as a major military installation.

The vast former air base has been demilitarized and repurposed for a wide variety of civilian uses. The massive concrete runway, taxiways, and hardened aircraft shelters remain visible and are utilized for different activities. Key uses include:
- **Event Venue:** The site is famous for hosting large-scale music festivals, most notably 'Let It Roll', one of the world's largest drum and bass festivals.
- **Industrial and Commercial Park:** Large sections have been developed into industrial zones, hosting logistics companies and manufacturing facilities.
- **Recreational and Automotive Use:** The paved surfaces are used for driver training, vehicle testing, film shoots, and various motorsport events.
- **Nature Reserve:** A significant portion of the surrounding former military training area has been successfully converted into a unique nature reserve. It is known for a pioneering rewilding project featuring European bison, wild horses (Exmoor ponies), and aurochs' descendants.
- **Limited Aviation:** A small portion of the original airport infrastructure is maintained as a public domestic VFR (Visual Flight Rules) airfield, operating under the ICAO national identifier CZ-0076. It serves ultralight aircraft and general recreational flying, but it is a tiny fraction of the base's former operational capacity.

Milovice Air Base has a rich and layered military history. It was originally established in 1904 by the Austro-Hungarian army as a large military training area. The first flight occurred here in 1913. After the formation of Czechoslovakia, it served its air force. During World War II, it was occupied and utilized by the German Luftwaffe. Its most significant period began after the 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia, when it was seized by the Soviet Union and became the headquarters for the Central Group of Forces. It was one of the largest and most important Soviet air bases outside the USSR, a key strategic asset during the Cold War. It housed multiple air regiments operating advanced fighter aircraft such as the MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-27, and eventually the state-of-the-art MiG-29, along with transport aircraft and helicopters. The base was a self-contained city for tens of thousands of Soviet soldiers and their families.

Very low. Since the 1990s, there have been numerous ambitious proposals to redevelop Milovice into a major international airport to serve as a second airport for Prague, a dedicated cargo hub, or a base for low-cost carriers. However, none of these plans have materialized. The primary obstacles have consistently been the enormous cost of decontamination from decades of military use, the need for massive investment in new infrastructure (terminals, navigation systems, ground transport links), and environmental concerns. With the continued expansion and capacity of Prague's Václav Havel Airport (LKPR), the economic and political will to fund such a massive project at Milovice has diminished. The current path of mixed-use development for industry, recreation, and nature conservation is considered the established and long-term future for the site.