Akhalkalaki Airport

Military Base Transfer and Deactivation of Air Operations

The airbase was officially handed over to the Georgian Ministry of Defence in June 2007 following the withdrawal of Russian forces. The site has been repurposed and is now the Akhalkalaki Military Base, serving as a major training center for the Georgian Defence Forces. It is used for the Initial Combat Training (ICT) course for new recruits and for various other military exercises. While the runway and airfield infrastructure are still physically present, as visible on satellite imagery, it is not operated as an active airport for regular flight operations. Its primary function is now as a ground forces training facility.

The Akhalkalaki Airport was a significant Soviet-era military airbase, an integral part of the Akhalkalaki military installation. Strategically located just 15-20 km from the Turkish (and therefore NATO) border, it was a key outpost for the Soviet Air Force in the Transcaucasian Military District. During the Cold War, it primarily housed fighter aircraft tasked with air defense and projecting power in the region. For example, the 171st Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, flying MiG-23MLD aircraft, was based here until the late 1980s. After the dissolution of the USSR, the base was transferred to Russian jurisdiction and became part of the 62nd Russian Military Base. It continued to serve a military function until the final withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia.

There are no known active plans to reopen the facility as a civilian or military airport. Around 2011-2012, the Georgian government under President Saakashvili announced intentions to potentially develop a civilian airport at the site to serve the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, aiming to boost tourism and local economy. However, these plans never materialized. Given its current critical role as a primary military training center for the Georgian army, its conversion to a civilian airport is highly unlikely in the foreseeable future. The site is fully dedicated to its military training mission.