Anunderground hangar is a type ofhangar formilitary aircraft, usually dug into the side of a mountain for protection. It is bigger and more protected than ahardened aircraft shelter (HAS).
An underground hangar complex may include tunnels containing the normal elements of amilitary air base—fuel storage, weapon storage, rooms for maintaining the aircraft systems, a communications centre, briefing rooms, kitchen, dining rooms, sleeping areas and generators forelectrical power.
Countries that have used underground hangars include Albania, China, Italy, North Korea, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Yugoslavia, Iran, Vietnam, South Africa and Pakistan.
Underground hangar atKuçovë Aerodrome near Perondi.[1][2]
Underground hangar atGjadër Aerodrome.[3]
In 2023, Iran unveiled a large underground base called "Eagle 44": in this base, Iran's upgradedF-4 Phantom fighters were present under Shahid Doran. Also, pictures and replicas of Su 35 were seen in that base. This base, where Iranian drones are also present, is probably somewhere in the south of Iran. While broadcasting a video of another base, on the other side of whichSu-24 Fencer aircraft equipped with +2000 km cruises, Iran announced that it has more underground bases that will be unveiled in the future.
Eight Israeli air forceF-16I Sufa fighter aircraft were damaged in the winter of early 2020 by flooding when they were improperly left inside underground hangars in aNegev desert airbase during severe flooding.[4] TheWashington Post reported in 2012 based on the resultsFOIA requests to the US government that the USArmy Corps of Engineers brought in US construction contractors to build installations in the south of Israel including underground hangars forfighter-bombers as a part ofUS military aid to Israel.[5]
Built in World War II on the Island of Pantelleria atPantelleria Airport.[6]
There are at least twenty major airfields with underground hangars in North Korea, includingOnchon air base,Kang Da Ri Airport andSunchon Airport.[7]
Underground hangars were built inBodø Main Air Station[8] andBardufoss Air Station.[9]
In 1941 theSwedish Air Force began building its first underground hangar atGöta Wing (F 9), located near Gothenburg in south-west Sweden, it was commissioned in 1944.[10] AfterWorld War II plans were made up for building underground hangars at every air force base that had suitable rock conditions. These ambitious building plans proved to be too expensive and were reduced to hangars at certain select air bases.[11] A second underground hangar was built in 1947 atSödertörn Wing (F 18).[10] After that plans were finalized for building underground hangars capable of surviving close hits bytactical nuclear weapons. This required that these new hangars be much deeper, with 25 to 30 meters of rock cover, and heavy-dutyblast doors inconcrete.[11] TheSaab 37 Viggen aircraft was designed with a foldingtail fin to fit into low hangars.Aeroseum, an aircraft museum open to the public inGothenborg, is housed in the larger cold war era Underground Hangar at Säve.[12]
SixFlugzeugkaverne (aircraft caverns), each with space for 30 or more aircraft, were constructed for theSwiss Air Force. One atMeiringen Air Base has been expanded to operateF/A-18 Hornet aircraft.[13] Originally, the plan for theaircraft hangar (GermanKavernenflugplatz) included the possibility of launching combat aircraft from the mountain air base. High costs and technical difficulties prevented these plans from being realised.[14][15] The idea of using roads as runways was later part of the design demands for the Swiss motorway network.[16][17]
Chiashan Air Force Base, located inHualien, has an extensive underground hangar system which can accommodate two hundred aircraft.[18]
Chihhang Air Base inTaitung County can accommodate eighty aircraft in underground hangars.[19]
The "Objekat" series of military installations can be found in secluded but strategically important areas within the former Yugoslavia, and the construction of these military bases were initialized by the SFRJ's defence ministry.
During the Yugoslav Wars, most of these bases were used by the Serbs in certain operations, but due to circumstances imposed by the Croat forces, they were destroyed and later rendered useless for military use. Nowadays, they are popular for urban exploration, however it is risky due to the chances of anti-personnel landmines being located in unexplored areas.
Object 505 "Klek" atŽeljava Airport nearBihać. Built in 1958-1968. The largest underground hangar complex in formerYugoslavia, with enough space for 80MiG-21s. There was intercept and surveillance radar "Celopek" at nearby mountain Gola Plješevica (1648 m).
Object "Morava" atSlatina Air Base (42°34′16″N21°00′25″E / 42.571°N 21.007°E /42.571; 21.007),[20] located atPristina International Airport. The second largest underground hangar complex inYugoslavia.
Object "Buna" atMostar International Airport (43°17′35″N17°50′49″E / 43.293°N 17.847°E /43.293; 17.847). Built in 1969-1971.[21]
Object "Cetina" nearSplit Airport (43°31′55″N16°16′37″E / 43.532°N 16.277°E /43.532; 16.277). Built in 1969-1970.[22]
Object "Šipčanik" atPodgorica Airbase near Podgorica (1946-1992 Titograd) (42°22′30″N19°19′12″E / 42.375°N 19.32°E /42.375; 19.32). Today wine cellar.[23]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Historic Buildings of the Swiss Air Force (German)
| External images | |
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| Aircraft cavern | |
 M113 in Cavern Turtmann | |
| F-5E in Cavern | |
| Hawker Hunter in Cavern | |
| Patrouille Suisse F-5E in Cavern | |
| F/A-18 and F-5 Cavern Meiringen |
