Gronenfelde

Military base closure following German reunification. The airfield was a Soviet/Russian military airbase, and its closure was part of the final withdrawal of the Western Group of Forces from the territory of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). There was no economic or logistical need to convert it to a civilian airport, so it was demilitarized and closed.

The former airfield site has been repurposed and is now home to one of Germany's largest photovoltaic power plants, the 'Solarpark Solarpark am Flugplatz'. The vast, flat expanse of the runways, taxiways, and aprons proved ideal for the installation of thousands of solar panels. While the basic layout of the airfield, including the main runway and some hardened aircraft shelters (HAS), is still visible from satellite imagery, the operational surfaces are now covered by the solar farm. Some of the original military buildings and technical facilities may remain in various states of use or dereliction on the periphery of the site.

The airfield, known as Flugplatz Frankfurt (Oder), has a significant military history. It was originally established as a Luftwaffe airfield in the 1930s. After World War II, it was taken over by the Soviet Air Force and became a major forward operating base during the Cold War, located strategically near the Polish border. It was home to various Soviet fighter and fighter-bomber regiments. In its final years of operation, it hosted the 968th Fighter Aviation Regiment (968. IAP), which was equipped with advanced Mikoyan MiG-29 'Fulcrum' fighter jets. The base was a key component of the 16th Air Army, the primary air power of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSFG), tasked with maintaining air superiority and providing air support for ground forces in the event of a conflict with NATO.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Gronenfelde as an airport. The extensive and permanent installation of the solar park on the critical operational areas (runways and taxiways) makes any future aviation use practically impossible and economically unfeasible. The region is adequately served by the Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), eliminating any demand for another regional airport at this location.