Underground hangar

Last updated
A Mirage IIIRS in front of an aircraft cavern in Buochs Airport, Switzerland Miragevortor.jpg
A Mirage IIIRS in front of an aircraft cavern in Buochs Airport, Switzerland

An underground hangar is a type of hangar for military aircraft, usually dug into the side of a mountain for protection. It is bigger and more protected than a hardened aircraft shelter (HAS).

Contents

An underground hangar complex may include tunnels containing the normal elements of a military air base—fuel storage, weapon storage, rooms for maintaining the aircraft systems, a communications centre, briefing rooms, kitchen, dining rooms, sleeping areas and generators for electrical power.

Countries that have used underground hangars include Albania, China, Italy, North Korea, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Yugoslavia, Iran, Vietnam, South Africa and Pakistan.

By country

Albania

Underground hangar at Kuçovë Aerodrome near Perondi. [1] [2]

Underground hangar at Gjadër Aerodrome. [3]

Iran

In 2023, Iran unveiled a large underground base called "Eagle 44": in this base, Iran's upgraded F-4 Phantom fighters were present under Shahid Doran. Also, pictures and replicas of Su 35 were seen in that base. This base, where Iranian drones are also present, is probably somewhere in the south of Iran. While broadcasting a video of another base, on the other side of which Su-24 Fencer aircraft equipped with +2000 km cruises, Iran announced that it has more underground bases that will be unveiled in the future.

Israel

Eight Israeli air force F-16I Sufa fighter aircraft were damaged in the winter of early 2020 by flooding when they were improperly left inside underground hangars in a Negev desert airbase during severe flooding. [4] The Washington Post reported in 2012 based on the results FOIA requests to the US government that the US Army Corps of Engineers brought in US construction contractors to build installations in the south of Israel including underground hangars for fighter-bombers as a part of US military aid to Israel. [5]

Italy

Built in World War II on the Island of Pantelleria at Pantelleria Airport. [6]

North Korea

There are at least twenty major airfields with underground hangars in North Korea, including Onchon air base, Kang Da Ri Airport and Sunchon Airport. [7]

Norway

Underground hangar portal at Bodo. Bodo underground hangar.jpg
Underground hangar portal at Bodø.

Underground hangars were built in Bodø Main Air Station [8] and Bardufoss Air Station. [9]

Sweden

Sweden Bergshangar F 18.jpg
Sweden

In 1941 the Swedish Air Force began building its first underground hangar at Göta Wing (F 9), located near Gothenburg in south-west Sweden, it was commissioned in 1944. [10] After World War II plans were made up for building underground hangars at every air force base that had suitable rock conditions. These ambitious building plans proved to be too expensive and were reduced to hangars at certain select air bases. [11] A second underground hangar was built in 1947 at Södertörn Wing (F 18). [10] After that plans were finalized for building underground hangars capable of surviving close hits by tactical nuclear weapons. This required that these new hangars be much deeper, with 25 to 30 meters of rock cover, and heavy-duty blast doors in concrete. [11] The Saab 37 Viggen aircraft was designed with a folding tail fin to fit into low hangars. Aeroseum, an aircraft museum open to the public in Gothenborg, is housed in the larger cold war era Underground Hangar at Säve. [12]

Switzerland

A Mirage IIIRS being towed out of a cavern on Buochs Airport, Switzerland (1999) Mirage 2115 exits cavern Buochs.jpg
A Mirage IIIRS being towed out of a cavern on Buochs Airport, Switzerland (1999)

Six Flugzeugkaverne (aircraft caverns), each with space for 30 or more aircraft, were constructed for the Swiss Air Force. One at Meiringen Air Base has been expanded to operate F/A-18 Hornet aircraft. [13] Originally, the plan for the aircraft hangar (German Kavernenflugplatz) included the possibility of launching combat aircraft from the mountain air base. High costs and technical difficulties prevented these plans from being realised. [14] [15] The idea of using roads as runways was later part of the design demands for the Swiss motorway network. [16] [17]

Taiwan

Chiashan Air Force Base, located in Hualien, has an extensive underground hangar system which can accommodate two hundred aircraft. [18]

Chihhang Air Base in Taitung County can accommodate eighty aircraft in underground hangars. [19]

Former Yugoslavia

Underground hangar portal at Zeljava. Zeljava underground hangar.jpg
Underground hangar portal at Željava.

The "Objekat" series of military installations can be found in secluded but strategically important areas within the former Yugoslavia, and the construction of these military bases were initialized by the SFRJ's defence ministry.

During the Yugoslav Wars, most of these bases were used by the Serbs in certain operations, but due to circumstances imposed by the Croat forces, they were destroyed and later rendered useless for military use. Nowadays, they are popular for urban exploration, however it is risky due to the chances of anti-personnel landmines being located in unexplored areas.

Object 505 "Klek" at Željava Airport near Bihać. Built in 1958-1968. The largest underground hangar complex in former Yugoslavia, with enough space for 80 MiG-21s. There was intercept and surveillance radar "Celopek" at nearby mountain Gola Plješevica (1648 m).

Object "Morava" at Slatina Air Base, [20] located at Pristina International Airport. The second largest underground hangar complex in Yugoslavia.

Object "Buna" at Mostar International Airport. Built in 1969-1971. [21]

Object "Cetina" at Split Airport near Split. Built in 1969-1970. [22]

Object "Šipčanik" at Podgorica Airbase near Podgorica (1946-1992 Titograd). Today wine cellar. [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air base</span> Aerodrome used by a military force for the operation of military aircraft

An airbase, sometimes referred to as a military airbase, military airfield, military airport, air station, naval air station, air force station, or air force base, is an aerodrome or airport used as a military base by a military force for the operation of military aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swedish Air Force</span> Air warfare branch of Swedens military

The Swedish Air Force is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bodø Main Air Station</span> Airport

Bodø Air Station is a military air base of the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) located in the town of Bodø in Bodø Municipality, Nordland county, Norway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bardufoss Air Station</span> Airport in Bardufoss

Bardufoss Air Station is a military air station located at Bardufoss in Målselv Municipality in Troms county in Northern Norway. It is the location of the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) 139 Air Wing and two helicopter squadrons; the 337 Squadron operating Lynx MK 86 for the Norwegian Coast Guard and the 339 Squadron equipped with Bell 412SPs. It is also the base for the RNoAF Flight Training School. In addition, helicopter Squadron no. 334 is currently under establishment as it will be operating NH90 NFH helicopters. The delivery of the NH90 helicopters just started. 334 Squadron will only have its command post and maintenance facilities at Bardufoss, as the helicopters will be stationed on the new Fridtjof Nansen class frigates when they arrive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAAF Base Townsville</span> Royal Australian Air Force base in Townsville, Australia

RAAF Base Townsville is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) air base located in Garbutt, 2 nautical miles west of Townsville in Queensland, Australia. It is the headquarters for No. 1 Wing Australian Air Force Cadets and, along with Lavarack Barracks, establishes Townsville as a key military centre. The base's airfield is shared with the Townsville Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nevatim Airbase</span> Israeli Air Force base

Nevatim Airbase, also Air Force Base 28, is an Israeli Air Force (IAF) base, located 15 km east-southeast of Beersheba, near moshav Nevatim in the northern Negev desert. It is one of the largest in Israel and has three runways of different lengths. Stealth fighter jets, transport aircraft, tanker aircraft and machines for electronic reconnaissance/surveillance, as well as the Wing of Zion, are stationed there. The airbase has long been under discussion for dual use – military and civilian – as an airport for the growing city of Beersheba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nasiriyah Airport</span> Iraqi air base

Nasiriyah Airport is a public and military airport located 23 km (14 mi) southwest of Nasiriyah, Iraq.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Željava Air Base</span> Former air force base & underground tunnel facility used by former state of Yugoslavia

Željava Air Base, situated on the border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina under the Gola Plješevica mountain, near the city of Bihać, was the largest underground hangar and military air base in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), and one of the largest in Europe. The facilities are shared by the local governments of Bihać and Lika-Senj County of Croatia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pantelleria Airport</span> Italian airport

Pantelleria Airport is a regional airport on the Italian island of Pantelleria. It is located 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from the town centre and features both regular and charter flights from and to Sicily and mainland Italy. It was a military airport until 2016, when it became a state owned civilian airport, although an Air Force detachment remained operational. There are two underground hangars, 340 m long and 26 m wide, which were completed in 1939 and called Nervi and Bartoli.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Svea Air Corps</span> Military unit

Svea Air Corps, also F 8 Barkarby, or simply F 8, is a former Swedish Air Force air corps wing with the main base located in Barkarby just north of the capital Stockholm on the east coast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Göta Wing</span> Military unit

Göta Wing, also F 9 Säve, or simply F 9, was a Swedish Air Force wing with the main base located near Gothenburg in south-west Sweden.

Aircraft cavern, a calque of the German word Flugzeugkaverne, is an underground hangar amongst others used by the Swiss Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">H-2 Air Base</span> Located in Southern Iraq

H-2 Air Base is a former Iraqi Air Force base in the Al-Anbar Governorate of Iraq. It was captured by U.S.-led Coalition forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meiringen Air Base</span> Swiss military airport

Meiringen Air Base, also known as the Unterbach Military Airfield, is a Swiss military airbase located near the hamlet of Unterbach and the town of Meiringen, in the canton of Bern. It is one of three main airbases of the Swiss Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richards-Gebaur Memorial Airport</span> Former airport in Missouri, U.S.A.

Richards-Gebaur Memorial Airport is a former airport that operated alongside Richards-Gebaur Air Reserve Station until the base's closure in 1994, and until it was closed in 1999. Formerly, it was operated as Grandview Airport from 1941 until it was leased by the United States Army in 1944. In April 1957, the base was renamed in honor of Kansas City, Missouri-born aviators John Francisco Richards II and Arthur William Gebaur Jr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buochs Airport</span> Airport

The Buochs Airport is a regional airport in the town of Buochs in the Canton of Nidwalden in Switzerland. It has a concrete runway with a length of 2000 meters and a width of 40 meters, several taxiways and hangars.

Salangen Airport, Elvenes is a general aviation airport located at Elvenes in Salangen Municipality in Troms county, Norway. It features a grass runway measuring 800 by 80 meters. It also has a water airport located on Øvrevann. The municipal airport is solely used for air sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Webb Air Force Base</span> Near Big Spring, Texas

Webb Air Force Base, previously named Big Spring Air Force Base, was a United States Air Force facility of the Air Training Command that operated from 1951 to 1977 in West Texas within the current city limits of Big Spring. Webb AFB was a major undergraduate pilot training (UPT) facility for the Air Force, and by 1969, almost 9,000 pilots had been trained at Webb. The last operational wing at Webb AFB was the 78th Flying Training Wing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bas 60</span>

Bas 60 was an air base system developed and used by the Swedish Air Force during the Cold War. The system was based around defensive force dispersal of aircraft and its supporting ground operations across many krigsflygbaser in case of war, primarily as a protective measure against nuclear weapons. The purpose of the system was to make it complicated for an opponent to destroy the Swedish Air Force on the ground and thus ensure endurance for the air force in a conflict scenario. The plan was to disperse the air units so one krigsflygbas would house one squadron. This dispersion principle also applied to the individual wartime bases themselves, meaning that the various functions of an air base were spread over a large area in and around the base.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bas 90</span> Class of Swedish airbases

Bas 90 was an air base system used by the Swedish Air Force during the Cold War. Bas 90 was developed during the 1970s and 1980s from the existing Bas 60 system in response to the new threats and needs that had arisen since the conception of the Bas 60 system during the 1950s. Like its predecessor, the Bas 90 system was based around defensive force dispersal of aircraft across many krigsflygbaser in case of war, as well as dispersion of the air base functions within the individual bases themselves. The air units would have been dispersed so one squadron would be stationed per krigsflygbas. The system was a protective measure against nuclear weapons and airstrikes, to make it complicated for an opponent to destroy the Swedish Air Force on the ground and thus ensure endurance for the air force in a conflict scenario.

References

  1. ↑ "Tunnels of Kuçova air field" . Retrieved 2024-06-16.
  2. ↑ "THE ALLEY OF FORGOTTEN MiGs" . Retrieved 2024-06-16.
  3. ↑ "Baza ajrore Gjadër – Ndër 5 më sekretet në botë" . Retrieved 2024-06-16.
  4. ↑ "Air Force admits mistake after eight fighter jets 'drown'". The Jerusalem Post.
  5. ↑ "U.S. overseeing mysterious construction project in Israel". The Washington Post. 2012-11-28. Retrieved 2020-01-26.
  6. ↑ Pantelleria, Forgotten airfields, 2010
  7. ↑ Shachtman, Noah (July 12, 2010). "Online Spies Spot North Korea's Underground Airfields". Wired– via www.wired.com.
  8. ↑ Utgård: 138
  9. ↑ "Fjellanlegget på Bardufoss øker beredskapen". Forsvaret. Retrieved 2024-06-15.
  10. 1 2 Braunstein, Christian (2005). Svenska flygvapnets förband och skolor under 1900-talet (in Swedish). Stockholm: Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023; 8 [dvs 9]. p. 111. ISBN   9197158488.
  11. 1 2 Törnell, Bernt (2008). Berghangarer : en bok om Flygvapnets berghangarer, bergtunnlar, betonghangarer och bergverkstäder. Nyköping: LAH Bunkertours. ISBN   978-91-977297-1-0. OCLC   251194046.
  12. ↑ "History and Background | Aeroseum" (in Swedish). Retrieved 2022-06-17.
  13. ↑ "ETH - e-periodica". www.e-periodica.ch.
  14. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2012-07-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Historic Buildings of the Swiss Air Force (German)
  15. ↑ Reduit und Schweizer Bunkerprojekte 1995
  16. ↑ (in German) Flugplätze stehen unter Schutz bernerzeitung.ch
  17. ↑ "Meiringen". saf.hermannkeist.ch.
  18. ↑ Hsu, Brian (15 December 2000). "Chen visits mountain air force base". www.taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  19. ↑ Easton, Ian. "Taiwan, Asia's Secret Air Power". thediplomat.com. The Diplomat. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  20. ↑ "Underground Air Base Buna" . Retrieved 2024-06-15.
  21. ↑ "Podzemni aerodrom Buna (Mostar)" . Retrieved 2024-06-15.
  22. ↑ "Airport Divulje Split (underground facility Cetina)" . Retrieved 2024-06-15.
  23. ↑ "The Black Mountain, Part 4: Plantaže, the Secret Cellar" . Retrieved 2024-06-15.
External images
Aircraft cavern
Searchtool.svg M113 in Cavern Turtmann
Searchtool.svg F-5E in Cavern
Searchtool.svg Hawker Hunter in Cavern
Searchtool.svg Patrouille Suisse F-5E in Cavern
Searchtool.svg F/A-18 and F-5 Cavern Meiringen
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.