VIDEO - Zeljava, JNA's secret underground military facility & airfield

[Il-28]

I know there was a thread about this secret facility but there's no more pictures so I've created a new one. Guy nicknamed FirewireHR created these most impressive vids(from whom I have permission to post them) so here they are:

Zeljava underground facility & airfield on the border of Croatia & Bosnia and has been built in great secrecy from year 1957 'till 1968. Facility was under constant surveillance by the guards who could open fire on anyone withoout warning who was trying to approach the facility. Overall length of underground facilities was 3500 meters. Complete object had 4 entrantes, 3 were for airplanes. Entrances have been opened and closed by 100 ton pressurized massive doors. It had 5 runways. Object was completely protected from nuclear explosions that were 20 kiloTons intense. Because of probable nuclear war facility had semicircular concrete shields that were arranged every 10 meters to amortize the impact. Facility had even a restaurant which had capacity of 1000 men. Object had enough food, fuel & arms reserves to 'survive' 30 days without an external influences. And fuel has been supplied to the object with 20 kilometers long underground pipes from military warehouse on Pokoj hill near Bihac city. On June 16th 1992, facility was blown up with 56 tons of explosives. Value of the facility was between 4-8 billions $. Detonations were so big that even nearby Bihac was shaking from them.

Map of the facility


First vid shows the satellite position of the base viewed with Landsat 7 program. Yellow line is border between Cro & BiH.


How the facility looked once before

Refrain of the propaganda song says: 'Hey soldiers, pilots, steel wings of our army...'

Another one


Interiors


Airfield today, recorded in 2005, 19 minutes


And for the end, Rudolf Peresin(1958-1995) tribute video from the same site. He escaped from Zeljava to Klagenfurt, Austria in 1991. His plane can be viewed in front of military museum in Vienna. He died during mission in operation Flash on may 2nd, 1995.


Pictures from Zeljava complex can be viewed here

Cheers

[CyberSpec]

Interesting material.

Zeljava was the centrepiece of a range of underground fortified airbases around the former-YU, around which the airdefence of the country was organised.....it seems such a waste of resources from the present perspective, although they (smaller bases in Serbia) probably saved a lot of lives and equipment during the Nato bombing in 1999

It was designed and built during the cold war and meant to allow the airforce to operate in a nuclear war environment. The experience gained in the consruction of Zeljava and it's smaller sibblings was what got Yugoslav firms the contracts to build similar objects in Iraq (in the 70's and 80's)

[Lazarus]

I got goosebumps watching it,watching it I could feel misterythat covered it.Pilots had to sign numerous papers prior to entry that they will not tell no one about it how it looks inside what is inside etc,..Many that may know something doesn't speak about it even today after 14 years it was destroyed.

[cinoeye]

Great post, thank you.
Damn, just in that base at least 40 jets.
And now X-yu Republics alltogether barley have 20 usefull jets.
What a tragic.

Is that JUre Stublic singing in that tribute video?
Check this topic-
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums...hlight=Zeljava
Can I get links for thi vids to post them on airserbia?

Thank you

[Il-28]

Is that JUre Stublic singing in that tribute video?
Check this topic-
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums...hlight=Zeljava
Can I get links for thi vids to post them on airserbia?

Thank you

Song is from 'Prljavo Kazaliste - Lupi Petama'

As for the links, I guess author won't mind it since the vids are on YouTube opened for public.

[1911-a1]

How the facility looked once before

Refrain of the propaganda song says: 'Hey soldiers, pilots, steel wings of our army...'

I love propaganda songs like that do you have more similar videos?

[Il-28]

Nope, sorry, vids ain't mine...

[enforcer]

Here is my own video - Destroyed Underground Airbase Zeljava

http://rapidshare.de/files/31613475/..._0006.wmv.html

[scream73]

Very interesting posts, tnx you all!!

[Zlatko]

Before today, i didnt even know places like this existed, im in absolite awe.

I wish the 2005 video was more extensive, and i wish they went in further to see things...what a waste

[Reklamnet]

we take a ride into the zeljava 2007







If you want to see more pictures go to
http://www.naj-naj.info/zeljava

There you can find some videos also

[zeljava]

I was in the second crew that day, you can find more photos and some video materials on http://www.kupoprodaja.com/zeljava

[Zlatko]

I was in the second crew that day, you can find more photos and some video materials on http://www.kupoprodaja.com/zeljava

Awesome!

The surrounding barracks and area around the underground look so surreal..all abandoned.

[enforcer]

some piccs of zeljava...

[RWR]

Reconnaissance mission by ARBiH troops, 5 months after the destruction of facility.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHGs7bE0VqQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVr_ie9dgvo