Fällfors Air Base

The closure was a direct result of the end of the Cold War and the subsequent strategic re-evaluation and downsizing of the Swedish Armed Forces. The extensive and costly 'Bas 90' system, of which Fällfors was a prime example, was deemed unnecessary in the new geopolitical landscape. The primary reason was military restructuring and cost-saving, not economic failure or an accident.

The site has been successfully repurposed and is now a world-leading vehicle and tire proving ground known as 'Arctic Falls Fällfors'. The company Arctic Falls acquired the site in 2006 and has developed it into a major facility for cold-weather testing. The former main runway, taxiways, and other large paved surfaces are used for testing vehicle dynamics, brakes (ABS/ESC), and tires on various ice and snow surfaces. The remote location and cold winter climate make it an ideal location for the global automotive industry to conduct confidential tests. The site is a major private-sector employer in the region.

Fällfors Air Base, also known as 'Fält 40' (Field 40) with the former ICAO code ESNF, was a significant component of Sweden's Cold War air defense strategy. It was constructed as a 'Bas 60' system air base and later heavily upgraded in the 1980s to the 'Bas 90' standard. Its purpose was to serve as a dispersed wartime base for the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet), primarily supporting the F 21 Luleå Air Wing. The 'Bas 90' concept involved a main runway (2,300 meters at Fällfors), multiple shorter auxiliary runways integrated with public roads, and dispersed aircraft staging areas ('klargöringsplatser') hidden in the surrounding forest. This design was intended to ensure operational capability even after a surprise attack on main air bases. Fällfors never housed permanent squadrons but was frequently used for military exercises, testing the dispersal and rapid response capabilities of the Air Force with aircraft like the Saab 37 Viggen and later the Saab 39 Gripen.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Fällfors Air Base for aviation purposes. The site's complete and successful conversion into a highly specialized and commercially valuable vehicle proving ground makes a return to its original function extremely unlikely. The infrastructure has been significantly modified for automotive testing, and the commercial investment by Arctic Falls represents a long-term commitment to its current use. While Sweden is reinvesting in its military capabilities, reactivating Fällfors would be impractical and economically unfeasible compared to utilizing other existing or less heavily repurposed sites.