Augstkalne Airfield

The airfield was a Soviet Air Force base that was abandoned following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the subsequent withdrawal of Russian military forces from Latvia. The newly independent Latvian state had no military or economic use for the large-scale facility, leading to its closure and eventual decay.

The airfield is derelict and non-operational. The concrete runway, taxiways, and aircraft revetments are still visible but are in a state of severe disrepair, with significant cracking, weathering, and vegetation overgrowth. For years, the site was largely abandoned, occasionally used for informal activities. However, in recent years, the site has been designated for renewable energy development. As of 2022-2023, a large-scale solar power park project is being developed on the territory of the former airfield, repurposing the land for green energy generation.

During the Cold War, Augstkalne Airfield was a strategically important frontline base for the Soviet Air Defence Forces (PVO). It was home to the 899th Orshanskiy Red Banner order of Suvorov Fighter Aviation Regiment (899-й ИАП). The regiment's primary mission was air defense for the Baltic Military District, intercepting potential NATO intruders over the Baltic Sea. The regiment operated a succession of advanced interceptor aircraft from this base, including the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 'Farmer', the Yakovlev Yak-28P 'Firebar', and finally the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MLD 'Flogger-K'. The base featured a 2500-meter concrete runway and numerous hardened aircraft shelters (revetments) dispersed in the surrounding forests, typical of Soviet military airfields of that era.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Augstkalne as an aviation facility. The infrastructure is beyond economical repair for aviation purposes, and there is no strategic or commercial demand for an airport in this location. The ongoing development of a major solar park on the site effectively confirms its permanent conversion to a non-aviation, industrial use, making any future reopening as an airfield virtually impossible.