Cheshnegirovo Air Base (Sadovo)
Summary
| Operating Country | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria |
| Location | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria |
| Status | ◉ Closed |
| Usage | Military only |
| Year built | 1951 |
| Year closed | 2002 |
| Operating Organization | Bulgarian Air Force |
| Units |
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Description
Cheshnegirovo Air Base, also identified as Sadovo or Tcheshnigirovo, is located in central Bulgaria northeast of Plovdiv. Established in 1951, the facility served as the primary station for the 25th Fighter-Bomber Air Regiment under the 10th Composite Aviation Corps. The base initially hosted squadrons of Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 aircraft. In 1976, the resident unit transitioned to the MiG-23BN and MiG-23UB variants.
During a restructuring period of the Bulgarian Air Force, the 25th Fighter-Bomber Air Regiment became the first unit to convert to an air base organizational structure. The facility briefly functioned as the central hub for the entire Bulgarian MiG-23 fleet before active flight operations ceased.
The installation became inactive between 2000 and 2002. It remains under the control of the Bulgarian Air Force and is utilized as a storage site for aircraft. The infrastructure includes a concrete runway and facilities formerly used to support fighter-bomber operations.