Drawsko Pomorskie Air Base

The primary reason for its closure as a permanent air base was the large-scale restructuring and modernization of the Polish Armed Forces following the end of the Cold War and in preparation for Poland's accession to NATO. Air force units were consolidated onto fewer, more modern bases. The 40th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment, stationed at Drawsko, was moved to the nearby Świdwin Air Base. The airfield's strategic location within Poland's largest military training area made it more valuable as an integrated component of that ground forces facility.

The site is currently an active military landing ground known as 'Lądowisko Ziemsko' and is an integral part of the Drawsko Land Forces Training Centre (Centrum Szkolenia Wojsk Lądowych Drawsko - CSWL Drawsko). This is one of the largest and most important military training areas in Europe, frequently used by Polish and other NATO forces for large-scale exercises like 'Defender Europe'. The concrete runway is maintained and used as a tactical airstrip for transport aircraft (e.g., C-130 Hercules, C-295M) to land troops and equipment, for parachute drops, drone (UAV) operations, and as a Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP). The site is located within a restricted military zone and is not accessible to the public.

The airfield has a significant dual history. It was originally constructed before World War II as a German Luftwaffe base named 'Fliegerhorst Dramburg'. During the war, it was used for flight training and as an operational base for various Luftwaffe units. After the war, the territory became part of Poland, and the base was taken over by the Polish Air Force. From 1952 until its deactivation as a primary base in 1999, it was home to the 40th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment (40. Pułk Lotnictwa Myśliwsko-Bombowego). This regiment was a key element of the Warsaw Pact's air power in the region, operating a succession of aircraft including piston-engine Yak-9s, and later, jet aircraft such as the MiG-15 (Polish designation: Lim-2), MiG-17 (Lim-5/6), and finally the variable-geometry Sukhoi Su-22 'Fitter' attack aircraft.

There are no known plans or prospects to reopen the site as a permanent, fully-staffed air base or as a public civilian airport. Its current function as a tactical airstrip supporting the Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area is considered its primary and future role, which is of high strategic importance for national and NATO defense training.