Ratmanov (Big Diomede) Improvised Airstrip

Logistical Obsolescence and Shift in Military Strategy. The primary reason for the airstrip's closure was the shift by the Soviet, and later Russian, military and Border Guard Service from using fixed-wing STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) aircraft to helicopters for supplying remote Arctic outposts. Helicopters, such as the Mil Mi-8, are far more versatile in the region's extreme weather, do not require a prepared runway, and are more cost-effective for the small scale of operations on the island. Maintaining a runway on permafrost, subject to harsh weather and coastal erosion, was impractical and expensive compared to utilizing a simple helipad.

Abandoned and Unusable. The site of the former airstrip is now derelict and has been reclaimed by the Arctic tundra. Satellite imagery shows no visible runway markings or maintained surfaces. The island itself remains an active, but small, base for the Russian Border Guard Service (Pogranichnaya Sluzhba FSB). All transportation and resupply for this station are now conducted exclusively by helicopter, and a modern helipad is maintained on the island for this purpose. There is no civilian population on the island.

The airstrip's significance is tied directly to the Cold War. Ratmanov Island (Big Diomede) is the easternmost point of Russia and sits just 2.3 miles (3.7 km) from the United States' Little Diomede Island, separated by the International Date Line. This made it a highly strategic frontier outpost for the Soviet Union. The improvised airstrip was a critical logistical link, enabling the transport of personnel, supplies, and mail to the Soviet border guard station established on the island. Operations were likely seasonal, possibly including an ice runway in winter, and handled light transport aircraft capable of landing on short, unprepared surfaces, such as the Antonov An-2. The airstrip supported the military presence that monitored US activity and asserted Soviet sovereignty at the closest geographical point between the two superpowers.

None. There are no known plans or realistic prospects for reopening the airstrip. The current helicopter-based logistics are sufficient and more practical for the needs of the small military contingent. There is no economic or civilian justification for the immense cost and engineering challenges of rebuilding and maintaining a fixed-wing airstrip in such a remote and harsh environment. Any future large-scale projects in the region, such as the highly speculative Bering Strait crossing, would involve entirely new infrastructure and would not utilize this small, abandoned site.