Dębica Air Base

Military withdrawal and restructuring. The primary reason for the base's closure was the withdrawal of the Soviet Armed Forces from Poland following the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact. The base was handed over to Polish authorities in 1992, but the Polish military had no strategic need for it, leading to its demilitarization and subsequent abandonment.

The site is no longer an active airport and is in a state of significant decay and repurposing. A large portion of the former air base, including the main runway and taxiways, has been converted into the 'Rymań Wind Farm' (Farma Wiatrowa Rymań), with numerous large wind turbines installed directly on the aviation infrastructure. The concrete surfaces of the runway are cracked and obstructed by the turbines. Some of the remaining derelict buildings and hardened aircraft shelters are still visible. The area is occasionally used for unauthorized or semi-official events like car rallies and drag racing, but it is not maintained for any form of aviation.

The airfield, also known as Rymań Airfield, was originally built by the Germans during World War II as 'Fliegerhorst Kolberg-Dębica' and used by the Luftwaffe. After the war, it was taken over by the Soviet Air Force and became a major frontline air base for the Northern Group of Forces stationed in Poland. For most of the Cold War, it was home to the 871st Pomeranian Fighter Aviation Regiment (871 IAP). This regiment operated a succession of fighter aircraft, including the MiG-17, MiG-21, and most notably, the MiG-23 'Flogger'. In its final years before withdrawal, the base briefly hosted advanced MiG-29 'Fulcrum' fighters. Its strategic location made it a key asset for the Warsaw Pact, tasked with air defense and potential offensive operations against NATO forces in Western Europe. The base was heavily fortified with a long concrete runway, extensive taxiways, and numerous hardened aircraft shelters (HAS).

There are no known official plans or realistic prospects for reopening Dębica Air Base as a functional airport. The installation of the extensive wind farm on the primary runway and surrounding areas presents a permanent and costly obstacle to any potential reactivation for aviation purposes. The site's future is firmly rooted in renewable energy generation and other potential industrial or agricultural uses, not aviation.