"In the year of the 15th anniversary of Albania in NATO, Kuçova Air Base marks a new chapter in the history of the Albanian Armed Forces,” said H.E. Mr. Bajram Begaj, President of the Republic of Albania. “This base stands as a monument of cooperation, solidarity, cohesion and unity among the Allies and Albanian commitment to collective defence. The construction of this base, as well as our engagement in NATO, are not only investments in our defence, but also in the future of our children and the generations that will come after us; they are proof of our commitment to work together with our allies to build a safer world for all,” he added.
Senior civilian and military representatives from NATO, NSPA, Albania, Italy, Türkiye and the United States. attended the ceremony underlining the collective effort of the Kuçova upgrade programme. Photo courtesy NATO.
After an aerial demonstration of several Allies, Italian Eurofighters landed at the newly renovated runway of Kuçova Air Base for the first time. Photo courtesy Albanian Armed Forces.
An Italian Eurofighter sits in an apron on Kuçova Air Base during the ceremony after landing here for the first time. Italy and Greece ensure NATO Air Policing over Albania with fighter jets from their home bases. Photo courtesy Albanian Armed Forces.
“The revitalization of the Kuçova Air Base is a major, ambitious and important project that reaffirms the strategic importance of our country and the Alliance's commitment to guaranteeing peace and security in the Western Balkans and beyond,” said the Chief of Defence of Albania, Major General Kingji. Photo courtesy NATO.
“The air base will serve as an important NATO air hub,” said Acting Spokesperson Dylan White. “The makeover of Kuçova Air Base is a strategic investment and shows that NATO continues to strengthen its presence in the Western Balkans, an area of strategic importance to the Alliance," he added.
"Albania's involvement in NATO Air Defense is a testimony of its contribution to the overall deterrence and defense posture of the Alliance," said Lieutenant General Juan Pablo Sanchez De Lara, commander of Combined Air Operations Centre Torrejón, "that serves as a visible demonstration of NATO's unity and resolve, like we are currently showing on the occasion of the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia" he added.
“This was the first NATO Security Investment Programme execution in Albania, and NSPA is proud to have provided effective, efficient and responsive support to Albania to deliver this step-change in infrastructure for the Host Nation and the Alliance”, stated the General Manager of NSPA, Ms Stacy A. Cummings.
The ceremony was a milestone in the overall upgrade of Kuçova Air Base underscoring Albania’s important role in bolstering security in the region. The programme included a live fly demonstration performed by allied aircraft showcasing tactical and technical capabilities and interoperability. Two Italian Air Force Eurofighters landed at the base for the first time.
"Today, we officially declare the reopening of Kuçova Air Base, which constitutes one of NATO's largest investments in Albania and will serve as a tactical and operational air base for the Alliance in the Western Balkans region and beyond," stated Albanian Minister of Defence H.E. Mr. Niko Peleshi. "On this runway, the last MiG flew almost 19 years ago. The time has come for Kuçova to hear the roar of NATO planes, the defenders of our skies, in the most dangerous decade of modern history in the region and the whole of Europe. The pride that we feel today is more than legitimate, not only for the result of an extraordinary team and technicians who worked day and night to rebuild this base, but also for the fact that a small country like Albania has the honor and the privilege to offer the Alliance this asset in its collective defence scheme. A special thanks goes to NSPA, which stood by our side from the beginning until the realization of this project,” he added.
In January 2019, as part of its Security Investment Programme aimed at enhancing the security of Allied countries, NATO announced its plan to invest 51 million Euro to modernise the facilities, infrastructure and fuel storage solutions at Kuçova Air Base according to NATO standards. Related projects included the runway restoration, a fighter ramp construction and an air base tower upgrade. NSPA contributed to these modernisation efforts by providing infrastructure and logistics support through customized solutions in the different phases of the project, ranging from design, to procurement, building and maintenance.