Afrikanda Air Base

Post-Soviet military restructuring and budget cuts. Following the dissolution of the USSR, the Russian Armed Forces underwent a significant downsizing and consolidation. The 470th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (470 GvIAP), the primary unit stationed at the base, was disbanded in 2001, and its aircraft (MiG-31s) were transferred to other air bases, such as Monchegorsk. This led to the effective closure and mothballing of the air base as an active military installation.

Under active reconstruction for military use. After being largely abandoned and falling into disrepair for over a decade, the Russian Ministry of Defence began work to reactivate and modernize the air base in the late 2010s. This is part of a broader Russian strategy to rebuild its military infrastructure in the Arctic. Satellite imagery and official reports confirm extensive work on the runway, taxiways, and support facilities. The base is currently an active construction site being prepared to house modern military aircraft and personnel. It is not a civilian or abandoned site but rather a military installation in the process of being brought back to full operational capability.

Afrikanda Air Base was a key strategic military airfield for the Soviet Union and later Russia, located on the Kola Peninsula in the Murmansk Oblast. Its history dates back to before World War II, and it saw use during the Winter War (1939-1940). During the Cold War, it was a forward operating base for the Soviet Air Defence Forces (PVO). Its primary mission was to provide air defense for the strategically vital Murmansk region, which housed the main bases of the powerful Northern Fleet. For decades, it was home to the 470th Guards Vilensky Order of Kutuzov Fighter Aviation Regiment. This regiment operated a succession of advanced interceptor aircraft, including the Sukhoi Su-9, Su-15, and finally, the Mikoyan MiG-31. These aircraft were tasked with intercepting NATO bombers and reconnaissance aircraft approaching Soviet airspace over the Barents Sea. The base's former ICAO code was ULMA.

The reopening of Afrikanda Air Base is not a prospect but an ongoing project. Russian military officials have confirmed plans to fully restore the airfield and station a new aviation regiment there. This new unit is expected to be part of the Northern Fleet's naval aviation forces. The modernized base will be capable of housing advanced fighter jets, enhancing Russia's air defense network, and projecting power along the Northern Sea Route and in the High North. The reopening is a key component of Russia's remilitarization of the Arctic, aimed at protecting its economic interests and strategic assets in the region. Full operational capability is expected in the near future, though an exact public deadline has not been specified.