Vandel Air Base

The closure of Vandel Air Base was a direct result of military restructuring and budget reallocations within the Danish Armed Forces. The decision was formalized in the Danish Defence Agreement of 1999 (Forsvarsforliget 1999), which aimed to modernize and streamline the military in the post-Cold War era. With the diminished threat from the Warsaw Pact, there was no longer a strategic need for the high number of air bases maintained during the Cold War. Operations and units were consolidated at other key air bases like Karup, Skrydstrup, and Aalborg, leading to the decommissioning of Vandel as an active military installation.

After its military closure in 2003, the vast site was sold by the Danish state and has been successfully redeveloped into a multi-purpose area. The primary use is the 'Vandel Erhvervspark' (Vandel Business Park), which hosts a variety of companies utilizing the old hangars and infrastructure. A large portion of the former airfield is now home to 'Vandel Solar Park' (Solcellepark Vandel), one of the largest solar farms in Scandinavia. The extensive runway and taxiway system is now used as a major test center for the automotive and renewable energy industries. Companies like Siemens Gamesa and Vestas have used the site to test wind turbine components, while others use the tracks for vehicle testing. While no longer a public or military airport, a small portion of the airfield remains active for private aviation under the name Vandel Flyveplads (ICAO: EKVA, though sometimes listed as DK-0061 for ultralight fields), used by a local flying club.

Vandel Air Base has a rich and significant history dating back to World War II. It was constructed by the German Wehrmacht in 1943 during the occupation of Denmark and was known as 'Fliegerhorst Vandel'. It was one of the largest German-built airfields in Denmark, designed to host bombers and night fighters to defend against Allied air raids. After the war, the airfield was taken over by the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) and became a crucial NATO asset during the Cold War. It initially hosted jet fighter squadrons, including Eskadrille 725 with F-84G Thunderjets and later Eskadrille 730 with F-100D Super Sabres. From 1971 until its closure in 2003, Vandel was the main base for the Danish Army Air Corps (Hærens Flyvetjeneste), operating helicopters such as the Hughes 500M Cayuse and the Eurocopter Fennec. For a period, particularly in the 1960s, the airport also handled civilian charter traffic before the nearby Billund Airport grew to become the primary international gateway for the region.

There are no known plans or serious prospects for reopening Vandel Air Base as a major public or military airport. The site's successful conversion into a thriving business park, solar farm, and technology test center represents a significant and long-term investment. Furthermore, its close proximity to Billund Airport (BLL), which is less than 15 km away and serves as western Denmark's primary international airport, makes the development of a competing airport in Vandel economically unviable. The current land use is considered a successful example of converting a former military installation for sustainable civilian purposes.