On February 3, the People's Committee of Binh Dinh province said that the Chairman of the province, Pham Anh Tuan, sent a document to the Ministry of National Defense and the Air Defense - Air Force Service requesting the handover of 109 hectares of national defense land to implement the investment project to build Runway No. 2 and synchronous works at the Phu Cat Airport.
According to the Provincial Planning for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, Binh Dinh is taking advantage of all its strengths to become one of the leading developing provinces in the Central region. In particular, Phu Cat Airport plays an important role in promoting socio-economic development and ensuring national security and defense for the South Central region.
Phu Cat Airport was built by the US military in the 1960s and 1970s. After 1975, the airport was used as a base for the Vietnam Air Force. The airport has an important strategic position in terms of defense and security in the South Central and Central Highlands regions; it is an important military base in the defense system.
In 1985, Phu Cat Airport began operating civil aviation activities and became Phu Cat Airport. The airport has 1 concrete runway, currently under the management of the Ministry of National Defense.
After about 60 years of use (almost 3 times longer than the design life), the concrete slabs are now almost cracked, with the risk of debris causing unsafe exploitation. Therefore, it is necessary to invest in repairing, renovating and upgrading this runway.
However, to carry out repairs, renovations and upgrades, the airport must be closed for a long period of time (expected to be 10-12 months), with a construction investment cost of about 1,400 billion VND.
In addition, the closure of Phu Cat Airport will not ensure the combat readiness of military units. It will greatly affect the exploitation of civil aviation routes, directly affecting investment attraction and tourism activities... serving the socio-economic development of Binh Dinh province.
Therefore, to effectively promote the advantages of location and available potentials, Phu Cat Airport needs to be prioritized for investment in synchronous, modern and sustainable construction...
Binh Dinh Province has proposed the Government and the Prime Minister to allow immediate investment in the construction of runway No. 2, connecting taxiways and synchronous technical infrastructure works. The Ministry of National Defense has also agreed on the investment policy to expand Phu Cat Airport.
On November 23, 2024, the Government assigned Binh Dinh province as the competent authority to invest in the Project to build runway No. 2 and synchronous works at Phu Cat Airport. Currently, the province is implementing legal procedures for implementation.
"To soon deploy the project investment and construction, Binh Dinh province requests the Ministry of National Defense and the Air Defense - Air Force to consider handing over 109 hectares of national defense land to build runway No. 2, connecting taxiways and auxiliary items," Mr. Pham Anh Tuan suggested.
