Żagań-Tomaszowo Air Base

The air base was closed following the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact and the subsequent withdrawal of the Soviet Army's Northern Group of Forces from Poland. The last Soviet aviation unit, the 42nd Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment, was relocated from the base in July 1992. The Polish Armed Forces did not take over the facility for active aviation purposes, leading to its abandonment as an airport.

The site is no longer an active airport and is in a state of advanced decay. The main runway, taxiways, and dispersal areas are still clearly visible but are cracked and overgrown. The hardened aircraft shelters (HAS), typical of Soviet Cold War airfields, are still standing but are derelict. The former air base has been repurposed for multiple uses: a large portion of the site has been converted into one of Poland's largest photovoltaic power plants. The remaining area is integrated into the vast Żagań Military Training Area (Ośrodek Szkolenia Poligonowego Wojsk Lądowych Żagań), which is frequently used for large-scale ground exercises by the Polish Army and allied NATO forces, including the US Army's Armored Brigade Combat Teams deployed as part of the Atlantic Resolve mission.

The air base has a significant dual-era history. It was originally constructed by the German Luftwaffe during World War II under the name Fliegerhorst Sagan-Küpper and was used for training and operations. After the war, it was taken over by the Soviet Union and became a major forward operating base during the Cold War. For decades, it was home to the 42nd Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment (42 Gv BAP), part of the 149th Bomber Aviation Division of the 4th Air Army. This regiment was equipped with Sukhoi Su-24 'Fencer' tactical bombers, nuclear-capable aircraft that posed a significant threat to NATO forces in Western Europe. Its strategic location near the East German border made it a critical asset for the Warsaw Pact's military posture.

There are no known official plans or credible prospects for reopening the Żagań-Tomaszowo Air Base for either military or civilian aviation. The cost of restoring the heavily degraded infrastructure, including the runway and support facilities, would be prohibitive. Its current successful redevelopment as a large-scale solar farm and its integration into a critical NATO training ground make its reactivation as an airport highly improbable.