Kachalovka Airfield

The airfield's closure is directly linked to the post-Soviet military drawdown and the significant downsizing of the Gremikha (Ostrovnoy) naval base, which it served. With the reduction of the Northern Fleet's submarine force stationed at Gremikha and the subsequent decline of the base's strategic importance, the high cost of maintaining this remote Arctic airfield became unjustifiable. The closure was a result of economic constraints and a strategic re-evaluation of military infrastructure following the dissolution of the USSR.

The airfield is completely abandoned and in a state of decay. Satellite imagery shows a single, deteriorating concrete runway approximately 2,500 meters in length, with crumbling taxiways and aprons. The airfield infrastructure, including any support buildings, is derelict. The runway is unmaintained, overgrown in places, and unusable for aviation. The site is exposed to the harsh Arctic climate and is slowly being reclaimed by nature. The nearby town of Gremikha (Ostrovnoy) remains a closed administrative-territorial formation (ZATO) with a drastically reduced population, primarily focused on managing spent nuclear fuel from decommissioned submarines.

Kachalovka Airfield, more commonly known as Gremikha Airfield, was a vital logistical asset for the Soviet Northern Fleet during the Cold War. Its primary function was to support the highly strategic and secretive Gremikha naval base (also known as ZATO Ostrovnoy), a key homeport for nuclear-powered submarines. The airfield handled military transport aircraft, such as the Antonov An-12 and An-26, which were the main lifeline for ferrying personnel, fresh supplies, mail, and critical equipment to the isolated base. It may have also supported helicopters (e.g., Mi-8) for local transport and patrol duties. Its historical significance lies in its crucial role in sustaining one of the Soviet Union's most important and remote nuclear submarine bastions on the Kola Peninsula.

Extremely low to non-existent. There are no known official plans or discussions regarding the reopening of Kachalovka (Gremikha) Airfield. The strategic need for this specific location has diminished, and the cost to restore the derelict runway, taxiways, and support infrastructure to operational standards would be prohibitive. While Russia has been modernizing and reactivating other Soviet-era Arctic airfields as part of a broader strategic push in the region, the focus has been on bases with greater strategic value and better-preserved infrastructure. The original purpose of the airfield—to serve a large, active submarine base—no longer exists.