Basepohl Airfield

Military base closure following German reunification. The airfield was operated by the National People's Army (NVA) of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). After the reunification of Germany on October 3, 1990, the NVA was dissolved and its assets were absorbed or decommissioned by the Bundeswehr (the unified German Armed Forces). The Bundeswehr had no strategic need for the Basepohl airfield, leading to its demilitarization and subsequent closure.

The site has been completely repurposed and is no longer an airfield. The vast majority of the former runway, taxiways, and aprons have been converted into the 'Solarpark Basepohl', one of Germany's largest photovoltaic power plants, covering a significant portion of the original airfield layout. The remaining areas and original structures, such as hardened aircraft shelters (HAS), hangars, and administrative buildings, have been integrated into an industrial and commercial park (Gewerbepark Basepohl-Stavenhagen). These buildings are now used by various private companies for storage, manufacturing, and business operations. While the outline of the former military base is still visible from the air, its primary function is now renewable energy generation and industrial activity.

Basepohl Airfield was a key military air base for the Air Forces of the National People's Army (Luftstreitkräfte der NVA) during the Cold War. Construction began in 1974, and it became operational in 1981. It was most notably the home of the Jagdfliegergeschwader 2 (JG-2), an elite fighter wing named 'Juri Gagarin' in honor of the first man in space. For most of its operational life, the base housed various models of the Soviet-made Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter jet. Its historical importance peaked in 1988 when JG-2 became one of the first Warsaw Pact units outside of the Soviet Union to be equipped with the highly advanced Mikoyan MiG-29 'Fulcrum' fighter. This made Basepohl one of the most modern and capable fighter bases in the GDR, tasked with air defense and interception duties against NATO forces in the final years of the Cold War.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Basepohl as an airfield. The extensive and permanent installation of the large-scale solar park directly on the former operational surfaces (runway and taxiways) makes any return to aviation activities economically unfeasible and practically impossible without the complete removal of the multi-million euro energy infrastructure. The site's future is firmly committed to its current use as a solar power plant and industrial park.