The Cerklje ob Krki airbase in the eastern municipality of Brežice is the biggest military airport in Slovenia and is gaining ground as a NATO airbase. The Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) have 40 aircraft, most of them at Cerklje.

The airbase was built in the late 1930s by the Royal Yugoslav Air Force. During the Second World War it was used by the armed forces of the Nazi Germany and after the war by the Yugoslav Air Force.

It gained momentum after Slovenia went independent in 1991 when it became the only military-civilian airport in Slovenia and the main base of the country's air force.

Multi-purpose airbase

Now the airbase is used for pilot training, protection of airspace and for civilian needs, and has also supported NATO's air force since Slovenia joined NATO in 2004.

The SAF currently has 40 aircraft, both fixed- and rotary-wing, most of which are kept at the Jernej Molan Barracks, part of which is the airbase. Crews and helicopters providing rescue services are stationed at Ljubljana and Maribor airports.

Cerklje is at NATO's disposal to use it as an operational base for redeployment of forces for exercises and operations.

At the same time, the airbase is designed to provide host nation support for eight tactical fighter aircraft and two aerial refuelling aircraft.

This means Slovenia has to provide enough fuel for the air operations of these aircraft should the need arise, the Defence Ministry told the Slovenian Press Agency.

Extensive upgrade under way

The airbase features a runway, which has been recently resurfaced, aircraft hangars, aircraft parking, maintenance aprons and a fuel depot, and a control tower.

While there was not much air traffic there immediately after independence, this changed after 2006 when extensive renovation and expansion was launched.

There are now plans to build two more platforms to load and unload weapons, an emergency aircraft arresting system, an additional fuel tank and a pipeline for rapid refuelling.

NATO's funds for the airbase play an important role in investment, as Slovenia has received just over €45 million by September this year, ministry data shows.

Another €25 million has been approved for future projects related to the provision of sufficient fuel, and the country should get €30 million for the construction of a storage facility for explosive ordnance, a pipeline for rapid fuel transfer, and an emergency aircraft arresting system.

Pilots happy with the airbase

Matic Gomboc, a military pilot and flight instructor, sees Cerklje ob Krki as a modern and developing airfield. "It's more than super for what we need, and our colleagues from NATO and partner countries who come here praise it," he says.

To stay in good shape, military pilots must fly 150 to 200 hours a year, "a standard our pilots achieve", says Gomboc, who currently flies a Pilatus PC-9M, a light attack aircraft.

Asked if there is any envy when foreign pilots come to Cerklje to exercise in fast military aircraft, Gomboc says they have regular joint training with their allies.

The only difference between the pilot's training in a Pilatus and its manoeuvrability abilities is the speed, which is not always an advantage in air operations.

Military pilot Matic Gomboc. Photo: Slovenian Armed Forces

"As a pilot I'd of course like to try to fly faster planes, but we fly the ones we have. Yet sometimes you can feel the envy on the other side when they see what Slovenian pilots can do and how many more hours of training we can do with the Pilatus."

Early next year he is going to Italy for a 12-week training with the tactical cargo aircraft C-27J Spartan, which Slovenia has recently bought.

At least another Spartan purchase is planned, expected to arrive at the end of the year. The ministry intends to train as many pilots as necessary to fly it "to ensure the execution of operational tasks".

Municipality compensated for impact

The airbase is also important for Brežice, although it is a strain on local infrastructure and local residents must put up with a lot of noise. The municipality has so far received nearly €6.8m in compensation from the state.

Under a 2006 deal with the Defence Ministry, it receives compensation to build or renovate local infrastructure. From 2004 to 2023, it received €3.5 million with another €1 million due by the end of 2024.

Brežice has also obtained €2.3 million worth of real estate that the Defence Ministry no longer needs, including 14 apartments.

Under the agreement, the ministry should grant the municipality up to €600,000 a year, but Mayor Ivan Molan says they are not there yet. He expects the airbase's impact on the local environment to increase further.