Åmsele Air Base

Military Decommissioning. The closure was a direct result of the strategic reorganization of the Swedish Armed Forces after the end of the Cold War. The extensive and costly 'Bas 90' system of dispersed wartime air bases was deemed unnecessary due to the diminished threat from the Soviet Union. This led to a nationwide closure of numerous similar bases, including Åmsele, to reduce costs and consolidate forces.

The former air base is now a privately owned commercial facility known as 'Testcenter Åmsele' or 'Åmsele Proving Ground'. The site is extensively used by the international automotive industry for vehicle, tire, and component testing. Its remote location and reliable winter climate make it an ideal location for cold weather, snow, and ice testing. The main runway, taxiways, and other paved surfaces have been repurposed into a variety of test tracks for performance, braking, stability control (ESC), and handling tests. The existing infrastructure has been adapted to support these commercial testing activities.

Åmsele Air Base, also known as Fält 40 (Field 40), was a crucial component of Sweden's Cold War air defense strategy, specifically the 'Bas 60' and later the upgraded 'Bas 90' systems. It was a 'krigsflygbas' (wartime air base), designed for the dispersal of Swedish Air Force fighter squadrons to reduce vulnerability to a surprise nuclear or conventional first strike. It was not a permanently manned main base but was kept in a state of high readiness. The base was equipped with a main 2,000-meter runway, multiple hardened and dispersed aircraft shelters ('klargöringsplatser'), and a command bunker. A key feature of the system was the integration of nearby public roads as auxiliary runways for take-off and landing. In a conflict, Åmsele would have hosted advanced fighter jets such as the Saab 35 Draken and later the Saab 37 Viggen, enabling them to operate, re-arm, and refuel away from their vulnerable main bases (like F 21 Luleå), thus ensuring the survivability and endurance of Sweden's air power.

There are no known official plans or prospects for reopening Åmsele Air Base for either military or civilian aviation purposes. Its current, well-established use as a specialized automotive proving ground and its sale into private ownership make a return to its original function highly unlikely. While Sweden is reassessing some of its Cold War-era military infrastructure in light of new geopolitical realities, efforts are focused on larger, more strategically located bases.