Morshansk Air Base

The air base was closed following the disbandment of the Tambov Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots (VVAUL) in 1995. This was part of the widespread military restructuring and downsizing that occurred in the Russian Federation after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

The air base is completely abandoned and in a state of advanced decay. The runway, taxiways, and aprons are still visible on satellite imagery but are severely cracked, weathered, and heavily overgrown with vegetation, making them unusable for any aviation purposes. Most of the support buildings and infrastructure on the site are derelict, ruined, or have been dismantled for materials. The site is not used for any official purpose and is occasionally visited by locals.

Morshansk Air Base served as a key training airfield for the prestigious Tambov Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots named after Marina Raskova. Its primary function was to provide initial and basic flight training for cadets of the Soviet Air Force, and later the Russian Air Force. The base was instrumental in the training of thousands of military pilots. Operations predominantly involved jet trainer aircraft, specifically the Aero L-29 Delfin and its successor, the Aero L-39 Albatros.

There are no known official plans, discussions, or prospects for reopening Morshansk Air Base. The extensive damage to the infrastructure would require a complete reconstruction, which is economically and strategically unviable given the lack of a current military or civilian requirement for an airfield in this specific location. The prospect of reopening is considered virtually non-existent.