Sawan Airfield

Military Conversion and Use. The facility was designated as a military airfield for the Indonesian Army Aviation Center (Pusat Penerbangan Angkatan Darat - Puspenerbad). Its primary function is to serve as a dedicated training and operational base for the military, making it a restricted area unavailable for public use. It was not closed for economic reasons or due to an accident.

The site is an active military airfield named 'Letkol Wisnu Airfield'. It is operated by the Indonesian Army (TNI-AD) and is frequently used for military exercises. Satellite imagery confirms a well-maintained, paved runway approximately 900 meters (2,950 feet) long, along with several helicopter landing pads, hangars, and support buildings. The facility is fenced and secured, clearly indicating its active operational status.

The airfield, officially known as Lapangan Terbang (Lapter) Letkol Wisnu, holds military significance as a key training ground for the Indonesian Army. Its primary role is supporting helicopter pilot training, pre-deployment combat exercises, and maintaining military aviation readiness in the strategic region of Bali and Nusa Tenggara. There is no evidence of it having a significant history as a public or commercial airport. The ICAO code ID-0272 is likely an unofficial or legacy identifier from before its formalization as a purely military site.

There are zero prospects for reopening Sawan Airfield (Lapter Letkol Wisnu) for civilian or commercial use due to its ongoing and strategic importance as an active military base. This airfield is often confused with, but is entirely separate from, the long-proposed plan for a new 'North Bali International Airport' (Bandara Internasional Bali Utara). That is a much larger, separate project intended to alleviate traffic from Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) and is planned for a different location within Buleleng Regency, typically cited as the coastal area of Kubutambahan, to the east of Sawan.