49th Air Base (Ianca Air Base)

Ianca Air Base, designated as the 49th Air Base, is located in Ianca, Brăila County. Established in 1941, the airfield initially hosted a squadron supporting military actions in Bessarabia. On March 28, 1951, the 3rd Fighter Aviation Division was established at the site, comprising the 11th, 12th, and 14th Regiments. The facility served as the first Romanian unit equipped with jet aircraft.

Infrastructure developed in the early 1950s included a concrete runway, command and observation points, hangars, and barracks. The base initially operated Soviet Yak-17 and Yak-23 jet fighters, with the first Yak-23 flight occurring on June 26, 1951. In July 1953, the 206th Fighter Aviation Regiment transferred to Ianca from Deveselu, operating MiG-17PF aircraft until its relocation to Borcea in 1958. The 49th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment moved to the base from Alexeni in 1965.

The base retired its fleet of MiG-15 aircraft in 1990. During the 1990s, the 49th Air Base operated IAR 93 and IAR 99 aircraft. It hosted a unit of L-39ZA trainers until 1998. Following the transfer of the remaining IAR 99 aircraft to the 67th Air Base, the military unit was disbanded and the facility was used for storage. In 2009, the Ministry of Defence transferred the airfield to the County Council. Since July 2022, the Romanian Aeroclub has owned and administered the facility.