Śniatowo Air Base

The air base was closed following the end of the Cold War and the subsequent withdrawal of the Northern Group of Forces (the operational name for Soviet forces in Poland) from Polish territory. The last operational unit, the 871st Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment, was relocated to Russia in July 1992. The base was built and operated exclusively by the Soviet military, and with their departure, it became redundant and was handed over to Polish authorities who had no military or civilian use for it.

The site of the former air base has been completely repurposed for renewable energy production. The vast, flat area, including the main runway and taxiways, now hosts the 'Kamień Pomorski Wind Farm' (Farma Wiatrowa Kamień Pomorski), with numerous large wind turbines installed directly on the former aviation surfaces. In addition to the wind farm, a large-scale photovoltaic (solar) farm has also been constructed on the site, making it a hybrid renewable energy park. The original military buildings are largely derelict or have been demolished, and the aviation infrastructure is no longer usable.

Śniatowo Air Base was a significant forward operating base for the Soviet Air Force in Poland, part of the 4th Air Army of the Warsaw Pact. Its strategic location in Western Pomerania, approximately 50 km from the German border and near the Baltic Sea coast, made it a key asset. The base was initially developed in the 1950s. From 1961 to 1981, it hosted the 55th Independent Sevastopol Helicopter Regiment, flying Mi-6 and Mi-8 transport helicopters. From 1981 until its closure, it was home to the 871st Pomeranian Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment (part of the 239th Fighter Aviation Division). This regiment operated Sukhoi Su-17M4 'Fitter-K' variable-geometry fighter-bombers, aircraft capable of carrying both conventional and tactical nuclear weapons, underscoring the base's importance in potential Cold War conflicts.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Śniatowo as an airport. The extensive and permanent installation of wind turbines and solar panels across the runway, taxiways, and aprons makes any future aviation use infeasible without complete demolition of the energy infrastructure. The site's function has been permanently converted from military aviation to renewable energy generation.