Aizpute Airfield

Military and political change. The airfield was a Soviet Air Force base that was abandoned following the collapse of the USSR in 1991 and the subsequent withdrawal of Russian military forces from Latvia. The newly independent Latvian state had no military or economic use for the facility, leading to its closure and transfer to municipal ownership.

The airfield is abandoned and in a state of significant disrepair. The main 2500-meter concrete runway, taxiways, and distinctive arched hardened aircraft shelters are still intact but are deteriorating. The concrete surfaces are cracked and overgrown with vegetation. The site is now owned by the local South Kurzeme Municipality and is unofficially and occasionally used for various non-aviation activities, including motorsports events like drag racing, car shows, and driver training. Over the years, some of the concrete slabs have been illegally dismantled and removed for use in local construction projects.

Aizpute Airfield was a strategic Soviet Air Force base during the Cold War. Initially serving as a reserve or dispersal airfield, it was significantly upgraded in the late 1980s with the construction of numerous hardened aircraft shelters (HAS). From 1989 until its closure, it was the home base for the 54th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (54 Gv IAP), which operated MiG-23ML/MLD 'Flogger' fighter jets. This regiment was relocated to Aizpute from Merseburg, East Germany, as part of the Soviet military drawdown from Eastern Europe. The airfield's primary role was air defense within the Baltic Military District.

There are no known official plans or realistic prospects for reopening Aizpute Airfield for aviation purposes. The prohibitive cost of restoring the runway and infrastructure to meet modern aviation standards, combined with the lack of economic or strategic demand in the region, makes its revival as an airport highly unlikely. Future development discussions for the large territory have focused on potential industrial parks, renewable energy projects (such as a solar farm), or formalizing its use for recreational and motorsports activities, rather than aviation.