Željava Airbase - Abandoned military base in Croatia

[B W T]

Željava Airbase #17
by Broken Window Theory

These are the dark remains of Yugoslavia's biggest military base. During the Cold War, the isolated Socialist state wanted to demonstrate its military strength with this partly-underground airfield. It was built in a no man's land that's today's border strip between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. By now, this has become a huge, almost forgotten area that still holds invisible threats.


Željava Airbase #03
by Broken Window Theory

In the endless tunnels, there was room for 80 MiG-21 fighter jets and more than 1,000 soldiers. This is the Yugoslavian version of "Top Gun", code-named "Object 505". There’s no fence, no gate, or even a sign indicating we were entering a former military area. But an old plane dumped decades ago indicated we have arrived. This is a Douglas C-47 - initially, a US-built military transport aircraft from World War Two.


Željava Airbase #14
by Broken Window Theory

The tunnels extend over several kilometers. The site was developed between the 50s and 60s. In these two decades, an incredible six billion US dollars were spent on the construction, making it the most expensive building project in Yugoslavia. Due to inflation, today's equivalent of the costs would be much, much more.


Željava Airbase #03
by Broken Window Theory

The tunnels were built wide enough for two MiGs standing side by side. The need for the facility arose in the 50s. Yugoslavia felt threatened by the two great powers to the West and East. A remote but strategically important area was sought to build this military base. This location was perfect since it was close enough to the border, so that potential attackers and ballistic missiles could be detected in time. Meanwhile, the combat aircraft could take off undetected, as the runways were in a radar shadow behind the mountain. The underground complex was also designed to sustain a direct hit from a smaller nuclear bomb. For that, the four entrances were protected by 100-ton pressurized doors. With an underground water source, power generators, and crew quarters, the military facility was largely self-sufficient. Stocks for food, fuel, and arms could last up to 30 days.


Željava Airbase #01
by Broken Window Theory, auf Flickr

During the Cold War, this supersized facility was never in real use, except for exercises and reconnaissance missions. That changed in the 90s when Yugoslavia declared war on itself. When the constituent republics of the multi-ethnic state voted for sovereignty, the army tried to suppress these independence efforts. Some of the warplanes that terrorized Slovenia during the Ten-Day War in 1991 took off from here. Later, attacks on Croatia were also flown from this airfield. As a result, Croatian pilots began to desert. As the surrounding area turned into the frontline, the Yugoslav People's Army decided to withdraw. On the morning of May 16, 1992, air force commanders issued orders to abandon and destroy the Željava Airbase.

https://flic.kr/p/2oFJxLcŽeljava Airbase #16
by Broken Window Theory

See the full exploration in our video on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/hJob_GyMv8o

 

[BikinGlynn]

Brilliant as always T, Love the plane shaped entrance way thats cool.

 

[Hayman]

Almost every country is made up of 'constituent' parts where the inhabitants can say they are different from their fellows in some way or another. Just get on with it. My wife was half-Welsh, half-English. I'm one-eighth German. I thought Tito did a good job of keeping both the Soviet Union and the West from his door. Perhaps too good a job for the country's political upstarts. The death and destruction that have followed its break-up have been horrendous, and they still go on. For what?

 

[Hayman]

Brilliant as always T, Love the plane shaped entrance way thats cool.

A bit Gerry Andersonish. I can picture a Thunderbirds plane emerging through that gap.

 

[Big Duke 6]

That last entrance/exit is way cool - I cna just see a Mig21 rolling out of that!

 

[Hayman]

Almost every country is made up of 'constituent' parts where the inhabitants can say they are different from their fellows in some way or another. Just get on with it. My wife was half-Welsh, half-English. I'm one-eighth German. I thought Tito did a good job of keeping both the Soviet Union and the West from his door. Perhaps too good a job for the country's political upstarts. The death and destruction that have followed its break-up have been horrendous, and they still go on. For what?

I might add that there is a kingdom off the west coast of mainland Europe that is tearing itself to pieces for the same reason: political upstarts pushing difference for the sake of difference. And that kingdom - as DP explorers know - has many abandoned airfields ripe for visits before they disappear under new housing schemes.