Long Tieng Airfield

The airfield was abandoned following the victory of the communist Pathet Lao and the collapse of the US-backed Royal Lao Government at the end of the Laotian Civil War (the 'Secret War'). As the central base for CIA operations, its purpose ceased with the US withdrawal from the region and the defeat of its allied Hmong forces.

The site is currently an active military base for the Lao People's Army and serves as the administrative center for Xaisomboun Province. The area remains highly restricted, with access for foreigners and tourists being very limited and requiring special government permits, though some controlled visits have been allowed in recent years. The original 4,400-foot runway is still visible but is in a state of disrepair and is not used for civilian aviation. The surrounding valley is a garrison town.

Long Tieng, also known as 'Lima Site 20A' (LS-20A), was one of the most important and clandestine sites of the Cold War. From the early 1960s to 1975, it served as the secret headquarters for the CIA's paramilitary operations in Laos. At its peak, it was one of the busiest airports in the world by traffic movements, handling hundreds of flights per day. Operations were primarily conducted by the CIA's proprietary airline, Air America, and the Raven Forward Air Controllers (FACs). The airfield supported General Vang Pao's Hmong 'Secret Army' in its fight against the Pathet Lao and its North Vietnamese allies. Flights involved transporting troops and supplies, conducting reconnaissance, directing US airstrikes, and medical evacuations. Due to its covert nature, its existence was denied by the US government, and it was often referred to as 'The Most Secret Place on Earth'.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Long Tieng as a public or commercial airport. Its ongoing use as a strategic military installation and the administrative capital of a sensitive province makes its conversion to civilian use highly unlikely in the foreseeable future.