Alteno Air Base

The closure was a direct result of major geopolitical shifts at the end of the Cold War. Following the reunification of Germany in 1990, an agreement was made for the withdrawal of all Soviet (later Russian) troops. Alteno Air Base, being a military installation of the Western Group of Forces, lost its strategic purpose. The stationed fighter regiment was relocated to Russia in 1993, and the base was officially handed over to German authorities in 1994, ceasing all military and aviation operations.

The former air base is a prime example of military site conversion. The vast area has been repurposed and is now home to one of Germany's largest photovoltaic power plants, known as 'Solarpark Alteno' or 'Solarpark Luckau', which utilizes the open space and existing infrastructure grid connections. While the solar panels cover a large portion of the site, the original runway, taxiways, and many of the distinctive, arch-roofed hardened aircraft shelters are still visible and largely intact. Parts of the runway are occasionally used for motorsport events, such as drag racing and driver safety training.

Alteno Air Base has a significant Cold War history. Originally established as a field landing site for the German Luftwaffe around 1938, it was taken over and extensively developed by the Soviet Air Force after World War II. It became a key frontline fighter base for the 16th Air Army, the largest and most powerful Soviet air formation stationed abroad. From 1954 until its closure in 1993, it was the home of the 11th Guards 'Don' Fighter Aviation Regiment (11. GwIAP). Over the decades, the base hosted various generations of Soviet fighter aircraft, including the MiG-17, MiG-21, and most notably the variable-geometry MiG-23ML/MLD 'Flogger'. In its final years, the regiment began re-equipping with the advanced MiG-29 'Fulcrum'. The base was equipped with a long concrete runway, extensive taxiways, and numerous hardened aircraft shelters (HAS), representing a significant threat to NATO air power during the Cold War.

There are no known plans or realistic prospects for reopening Alteno Air Base as a functional airport. The site's primary function has been permanently converted to renewable energy production with the construction of the massive solar park. This significant investment and long-term land use commitment make any future reactivation for aviation purposes economically unfeasible and highly improbable. The existing infrastructure has been altered, and the region is adequately served by other airports, including the major Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER).