Chamokerasa Airfield

The primary reason for closure was military restructuring. Chamokerasa was a tactical dispersal field for the Hellenic Army Aviation, established during the Cold War due to its proximity to the Bulgarian border (a Warsaw Pact nation at the time). With the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact and a shift in military doctrine, the need for numerous small, forward-operating airstrips of this type was significantly reduced, leading to its decommissioning.

The site of the former airfield has been completely repurposed. Between 2017 and 2018, the entire area, including the former runway and apron, was converted into a large-scale photovoltaic power station. The land is now covered with rows of solar panels, and no trace of its previous aviation use remains on the ground, though the outline is still faintly visible in some historical satellite imagery.

Chamokerasa Airfield's significance was purely military. It served as a forward operating and dispersal airstrip for the Hellenic Army Aviation (Αεροπορία Στρατού). Its purpose was to support Greek Army ground forces in the strategically important region of Drama. Operations would have included light observation and liaison aircraft (such as the Cessna L-19 Bird Dog) and utility helicopters (like the Bell UH-1 Iroquois and OH-58 Kiowa). The airfield consisted of a single, unpaved/gravel runway and was never used for commercial or civilian general aviation.

There are zero prospects for reopening Chamokerasa Airfield. The construction of the permanent and extensive solar farm infrastructure on the site makes any return to aviation use economically and logistically infeasible. The land has been permanently redeveloped for energy production.