Ahlhorn Air Force Base

Military base closure due to the restructuring of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) following the end of the Cold War. The base was deemed strategically redundant in the new security landscape, leading to the disbandment and relocation of its final resident unit.

The former air base has been completely demilitarized and transformed into a large-scale private civilian site. Its current uses include:

- **Metropolpark Hansalinie:** The entire area has been redeveloped into a major industrial, logistics, and commercial park. Numerous companies utilize the former hangars, hardened aircraft shelters, and administrative buildings for storage, manufacturing, and business operations.

- **Solarpark Ahlhorn:** A significant portion of the main runway and adjacent taxiways has been covered by one of Germany's largest photovoltaic power plants. This solar farm generates a substantial amount of renewable energy, but its construction has permanently eliminated the possibility of using the runway for aviation.

- **Green Energy Hub:** In addition to the solar park, the site also hosts a large biogas plant and other renewable energy projects, positioning it as a center for green technology.

Ahlhorn Air Base has a rich and significant military history spanning from its creation before World War II to the end of the Cold War.

- **World War II Era (1938-1945):** Constructed in 1938 for the German Luftwaffe, it was a major bomber base, notably housing Kampfgeschwader 54 (KG 54) flying Junkers Ju 88 aircraft. It was a key launch point for bombing raids against the UK during the Battle of Britain. Towards the end of the war, it also hosted fighter units. The base was heavily targeted and damaged by Allied bombing raids.

- **Post-War & RAF Use (1945-1958):** After the war, the base was taken over by the British Royal Air Force and designated RAF Ahlhorn. It was rebuilt and used by various RAF squadrons as a frontline air base in West Germany during the early years of the Cold War.

- **Cold War & German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Era (1958-2005):** In 1958, the base was handed over to the newly-formed West German Air Force (Luftwaffe) and operated under the ICAO code ETNA. It became a vital NATO installation. Key units stationed at Ahlhorn included:
- **Hubschraubertransportgeschwader 64 (HTG 64):** A helicopter transport wing, crucial for troop and material mobility.
- **Flugkörpergeschwader 1 (FKG 1):** From 1963 to 1991, Ahlhorn was home to Missile Wing 1, which operated the MGM-31 Pershing 1a short-range ballistic missile. These nuclear-capable missiles were under a dual-key arrangement with the United States Army, making Ahlhorn a primary strategic target during the Cold War.
- **Flugabwehrraketengeschwader 24 (FlaRakG 24):** The final unit at the base was Air Defence Missile Wing 24, equipped with HAWK and later Patriot surface-to-air missile systems. The decommissioning of this unit in December 2005 marked the end of military operations at Ahlhorn.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening Ahlhorn as an airport. The reopening is considered impossible due to the extensive and permanent redevelopment of the site. The core aviation infrastructure, most notably the runway and taxiway system, has been physically removed or repurposed for the construction of the large-scale Solarpark Ahlhorn. The conversion of the entire area into the thriving Metropolpark Hansalinie industrial park has solidified its non-aviation future.