Ground broken for military-civil airport project in northern Vietnam

The Ministry of Public Security on Tuesday broke ground for a military-civil airport project in Bac Ninh province, a neighbor of Hanoi and an emerging industrial hub in northern Vietnam.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered the ministry to complete the Gia Binh airport project within 18 months, even before December 31, 2025.

The project, located in Gia Binh district, will mainly serve the Vietnam People’s Public Security Air Force's combat readiness and training missions. It is a key national project of significant importance in terms of defense and security.

Apart from military missions and being on standby to assist other regional airports in case of emergency, Gia Binh airport will transport cargo and passengers "when required and qualified".

Its civil segment is categorized as “level 4E”, the term used for airports that can accommodate aircraft with a “reference field length” of 1,800 m and above and a wingspan up to 65 m.

Phase 1 will build a specialized airport with a 1,500 m long runway over an area of about 125 hectares.

The Prime Minister ordered Bac Ninh province and the Ministry of Transport to discuss building roads 80-100 meters wide connecting the airport with Hanoi which should be “shortest, most modern and most beautiful”. The plan must be available by June next year.

He also assigned the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Public Security, and Bac Ninh province to immediately implement pre-feasibility studies for phase 2 of the project.

At the ground-breaking ceremony, the cabinet leader stressed that the project area and surrounding localities need to become an airport ecosystem, including a high-tech industrial ecosystem.

According to the national airport development plan, Vietnam aims to expand its network of airports from 22 to 30 by 2030, and 33 by 2050.

On the list of the 30 airports until 2030, the 14 international gateways are Van Don (in Quang Ninh province), Cat Bi (Hai Phong city), Noi Bai (Hanoi), Tho Xuan (Thanh Hoa province), Vinh (Nghe An province), Phu Bai (Thua Thien-Hue province), Danang (Danang city), Chu Lai (Quang Nam province), Cam Ranh (Khanh Hoa province), Lien Khuong (Lam Dong province), Long Thanh (in Dong Nai near HCMC), Tan Son Nhat (HCMC), Can Tho (Can Tho city), and Phu Quoc (Phu Quoc island).

The 16 domestic airports on the list are Lai Chau (Lai Chau province), Dien Bien (Lai Chau province), Sapa (Lao Cai province), Na San (Son La province), Dong Hoi (Quang Binh province), Quang Tri (Quang Tri province), Phu Cat (Binh Dinh province), Tuy Hoa (Phu Yen province), Pleiku (Gia Lai province), Buon Ma Thuot (Dak Lak province), Phan Thiet (Binh Thuan province), Rach Gia (Kien Giang province), Ca Mau (Ca Mau province), Con Dao (Con Dao island), Thanh Son (Ninh Thuan province), and Bien Hoa (Dong Nai province).

For a vision to 2050, the total is 33 (14 international airports and 19 domestic terminals). This means there will be three more domestic ones, namely Cao Bang, Cat Bi, and South Hanoi. Notably, among the 14 international airports, Hai Phong Airport will replace the existing Cat Bi Airport.