Base aérienne 126 Solenzara (Capitaine Preziosi)

Base aérienne 126 Ventiseri-Solenzara, also known as "Capitaine Preziosi", is an operational air base of the French Air and Space Force located in the Haute-Corse department. The base is situated in the commune of Ventiseri, at Travo. An initial airfield was constructed in 1944 by the 12th USAAF during World War II, supporting operations such as the Provence landings. The current site was initiated in 1956 as part of an NATO project for training American, Belgian, Dutch, and French fighter squadrons. The runway was completed in 1958, with the first aircraft landing on May 30, 1960. Since the Cold War, it has served as a firing training base for NATO forces. The base supported operations during the 1993 Bosnian War and the 1999 Kosovo War, where the Royal Air Force deployed Panavia Tornado aircraft. It also played a role in the 2011 military intervention in Libya, hosting 23 fighter aircraft and conducting numerous daily sorties. BA 126 can accommodate up to 40 fighter aircraft and 10 tactical transport aircraft. Its 2,627-meter runway can receive strategic transport and in-flight refueling aircraft. The base has a munitions depot and three fuel depots, which are supplied by sea, providing three months of aviation fuel autonomy. Its primary mission is to support French Air and Space Force combat squadrons and various NATO units that rotate for air-to-air and air-to-ground firing training. Its geographical position makes it a forward base for air operations in the Mediterranean. The only permanent flying unit based there is the Escadron d'hélicoptères 01.044 Solenzara. The base also permanently hosts a mobile gendarmerie squadron, a detachment from the 44th Transmission Regiment, and a Civil Security instruction and intervention unit detachment during summer for forest fire campaigns. Its munitions section has been part of the inter-service munitions service since 2011.