Vrazhdebna Air Base

Vrazhdebna Air Base
Авиобаза Враждебна
Sofia, Bulgaria
Emblem of the Vrazhdebna Air Base
Vrazhdebna Air Base Location within Bulgaria
Coordinates	42°41′43″N 23°26′23″E
Type	Military Air Base
Site information
Owner	Sofia Airport
Operator	Bulgarian Air Force
Controlled by	Bulgarian Air Force
Site history
Built	1937
In use	1994–present
Garrison information
Occupants	16th Transport Squadron
Airfield information
Identifiers	IATA: SOF, ICAO: LBSF
Elevation	532 metres (1,745 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 09/27 3,600 metres (11,800 ft) Asphalt
Source: Sofia International Airport (Vrazhdebna)

Vrazhdebna Air Base (Bulgarian: Авиобаза Враждебна, romanized: Aviobaza Vraždebna) or 16th Transport Air Base is a military air base, located on the site of Sofia Airport. The air base functions as a hub for the 16th Transport Squadron of the BAF.

History

"Vrazhdebna" is the original name for Sofia Airport, used since its establishment in 1937. The name is derived from the nearby village of Vrazhdebna (now a suburb of Sofia) and is literally translated as hostile.

Although various military transportation units, have been based at the airport since the late 1940s, it was not until 1994 when a separate military unit (16th Transport Air Base) was established. Both Sofia Airport and 16th TAB carry the official name "Vrazhdebna".

Units

Until 1950 it was the hub for the 14th Air Transport Regiment, which included mostly German aircraft (Junkers Ju 52, Junkers A 35). After 1950 it was renamed to 16th Transport Squadron and was equipped with Lisunov Li-2 transport aircraft.

On some occasions Vrazhdebna Air Base also houses civilian Aviation Detachment 28 aircraft, which carry senior members of the Bulgarian government.

See also

• Dobroslavtsi Air Base
• Cheshnegirovo Air Base
• Gabrovnitsa Air Base
• Uzundzhovo Air Base
• Graf Ignatievo Air Base
• Bezmer Air Base
• Dobrich Air Base
• Ravnets Air Base
• Balchik Air Base
• List of Bulgarian Air Force bases
• The Bulgarian Cosmonauts
• List of joint US-Bulgarian military bases