Cheshnegirovo Air Base (Sadovo)
Cheshnegirovo Air Base (also Sadovo; ICAO LBPS) is a closed military air base in Bulgaria, operated by the Bulgarian Air Force. It has 1 runway (2,544 m). Home to the 25th Fighter-Bomber Air Regiment, the 10th Composite Aviation Corps.
Facility Details
| Operating Country | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria |
| Location | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria |
| Status | Closed |
| Usage | Military only |
| Year built | 1951 |
| Year closed | 2002 |
| Operating Organization | Bulgarian Air Force |
| Units & aircraft |
25th Fighter-Bomber Air Regiment10th Composite Aviation Corps
|
| Coordinates | 42.1139°N, 24.9914°E |
| Elevation | 184 m (604 ft) |
| ICAO code | LBPS |
| Runways |
10/28 · 2,544 m (8,346 ft) · Concrete
|
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.
- AUG 132026 Updated Runway designations, surfaces and lengths recorded
- APR 102026 Created Page created: Cheshnegirovo Air Base