Kara Baita Airport

The airbase was closed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. As a Soviet Air Forces training base, its operational and funding structure disappeared with the collapse of the USSR. The newly independent nation of Kyrgyzstan did not have the financial resources or the military requirement to maintain the facility, leading to its abandonment and subsequent decay. The closure was a direct result of geopolitical change and military restructuring.

The site is completely abandoned and non-operational. Satellite imagery shows the runway, taxiways, and aircraft dispersal pads are still clearly visible but are in a severe state of disrepair, with significant cracking, weathering, and vegetation growth. The airfield buildings are derelict. The abandoned runway is reportedly used by locals for informal activities such as driving practice, street racing, and for grazing livestock. The site holds no official aviation function and is slowly being reclaimed by nature and repurposed for local, unofficial uses.

The facility, historically known as Kara-Balta Air Base, was a significant military training airfield for the Soviet Air Forces. The ICAO code KG-0028 is an unofficial designator; the base was not a public civilian airport. Its primary role was advanced pilot training. It was home to the 905th Training Aviation Regiment (905 UAP), which was part of the 5th Central Course for Preparation and Improvement of Aviation Cadres. For decades, the base was instrumental in training thousands of Soviet and foreign allied pilots on jet trainer aircraft, most notably the Aero L-29 Delfin and later the Aero L-39 Albatros. It was a key component of the Soviet military's extensive pilot training infrastructure.

There are no known official plans or credible prospects for reopening the Kara-Balta Air Base. The cost of restoring the heavily degraded infrastructure to modern aviation standards would be prohibitive. Furthermore, Kyrgyzstan's aviation needs are served by other active airports, including the nearby Manas International Airport, which also hosts a military presence. Given the economic constraints and the lack of strategic or commercial demand, the reopening of this former Soviet base is highly unlikely.