Kartena Highway Strip

55°55'31"N 021°33'55"E

Runway: 09/27 - 2500meters/0000feet - asphalt (Emergency use only - CLOSED)
Runway: 09/27 - appx. 900meters/0000feet - grass
Runway: 18/36 - appx. 750meters/0000feet - grass

Kartena airfield (ICAO: EYKT) was an emergency (wartime) airfield on the A-11 highway in Lithuania.
The airfield was built during the Cold War by the Soviet Air Force and featured a 2500m airstrip and two aircraft parkings, one on each end. The airstrip had two large aircraft parkings, disguised as highway parking areas. The western parking was on the north side of the highway and about double the size of the eastern parking to the south of the highway. About 700 meters south of the eastern parking a fairly large (50x35m) hangar was built, with a small platform and a smaller wooden hangar next to it. The wooden hangar was used by DOSAAF gliders and light motorized aircraft.

Unfortunately it is not known if the highway strip was ever used. The DOSAAF grass airfield was (and still is) used however.


The hangar, south of the highway strip.


Soviet DOSAAF aircraft and a glider in front of the wooden hangar at Kartena.

After the Baltic states regained independence, the Highway airstrip was no longer maintained. It is recognisable from the air however, if you know what to look for. The highway airstrip was returned to its normal state road use since the end of the Soviet occupation. 
The former DOSAAF airfield continues to be used, as can be seen from aerial photography (Google Earth) in 2009. From aerial photography in 2009 it appeared the western parking area had been torn down, but the area was still recognisable.


Kartena airfield and the highway strip in 2009 (Google Earth)


Close up of the hangar area at Kartena in 2009, clearly showing the airfield is still active (Google Earth)