Emmel Airfield Dedelow Airport

The initial military closure was a direct result of the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the East German National People's Army (NVA) upon German reunification. The subsequent closure of the civilian airfield was due to economic non-viability; the high cost of maintaining the vast infrastructure of a former military jet base was unsustainable for the limited general aviation traffic it attracted.

The former airport site has been completely transformed into a major renewable energy hub. The vast concrete surfaces of the runways, taxiways, and aprons are now covered by the 'Solarpark Dedelow', one of Germany's largest photovoltaic power plants. The site is also part of the 'Enertrag Hybrid Power Plant', which integrates the solar farm with numerous wind turbines and a hydrogen-based energy storage system. Most of the original hardened aircraft shelters (HAS) and other military buildings are still visible, some in a state of decay, while others are repurposed for maintenance of the energy park.

The airfield has significant Cold War history. It was originally built for the Luftwaffe in the 1930s. After WWII, it was used by the Soviet Air Force. In 1961, it was handed over to the East German Air Force (Luftstreitkräfte der NVA) and became the home base of the elite Jagdfliegergeschwader 9 'Heinrich Rau' (JG-9). This unit operated a succession of fighter aircraft, including the MiG-17, MiG-21, and most notably, the advanced MiG-29 'Fulcrum' starting in 1988. After reunification in 1990, the German Luftwaffe took over the base and its 24 MiG-29s, a unique event where a NATO air force integrated a top-tier Soviet fighter. The Luftwaffe's Jagdgeschwader 73 'Steinhoff' briefly operated these MiGs from Dedelow before the squadron and aircraft were relocated to Laage Air Base, leading to Dedelow's military closure. The civilian phase from the mid-1990s to the mid-2010s was limited to general aviation and ultralight aircraft.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening the site as an airport. The extensive and permanent installation of the solar park and wind energy infrastructure across all former operational areas makes a return to aviation activities physically and economically impossible. The site's future is firmly committed to renewable energy production.