Bråvalla Air Base

The air base was decommissioned as a direct result of the Swedish Defence Act of 1992 (Försvarsbeslutet 1992). Following the end of the Cold War, the Swedish Armed Forces underwent a major restructuring and downsizing to adapt to the new geopolitical landscape. Several military regiments and air wings across the country were disbanded for strategic and economic reasons, and Bråvalla Air Base was one of those selected for closure to consolidate the Air Force's resources.

The site has been completely redeveloped for civilian use. It is now known as Bråvalla Business Park (Bråvalla Företagspark) and hosts a variety of commercial and industrial activities, including logistics, manufacturing, and storage facilities. The most famous post-military use of the site was as the venue for the Bråvalla Festival, which was one of Sweden's largest music festivals from 2013 to 2017. The former runways and aprons were used for stages, camping, and parking. While the festival is no longer held, parts of the vast airfield infrastructure are still used for other events, driver training, and automotive testing. The underground hangar still exists and is used for secure storage by private companies.

Bråvalla Air Base, officially known as F 13 Norrköping, was a cornerstone of the Swedish Air Force for over 50 years. Opened in 1943 during World War II, it was strategically located to defend central and southern Sweden, including the capital, Stockholm. It was the home of the Bråvalla Air Force Wing (F 13). Throughout its operational history, the base hosted a succession of iconic Swedish-made fighter aircraft, starting with the J 22 and progressing through the jet age with the J 29 Tunnan, J 35 Draken, and finally the JA 37 Viggen. During the Cold War, it was a high-readiness base with advanced infrastructure, including a large, hardened underground hangar (bergshangar) designed to protect aircraft from a nuclear attack. The base played a critical role in Sweden's policy of armed neutrality, maintaining a credible deterrent against potential aggression.

There are no known plans or realistic prospects for reopening Bråvalla as an active military air base or a public commercial airport. The site has been extensively redeveloped for industrial and commercial purposes, which would make a conversion back to aviation use prohibitively expensive and disruptive. Furthermore, the region is already served by the nearby Norrköping Airport (IATA: NRK, ICAO: ESSP), making another airport in the immediate vicinity redundant. The Swedish Armed Forces have consolidated their operations at other bases, and there is no current strategic need to reactivate Bråvalla.