A former runway of the Hớn Quản military airport in Bình Phước Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Sỹ Tuyên

BÌNH PHƯỚC — The Ministry of National Defence has agreed to upgrade the existing Hớn Quản military airport in the southern province of Bình Phước to convert it into a specialised airport.

Hớn Quản military airport (formerly called Técníc) was built in the colonial period and used during the French resistance war. It is now managed by the local military agency.

Previously, Bình Phước Province’s People’s Committee proposed upgrading the airport for both military and specialised purposes.

The airport will be used for planes carrying people and cargo for special purposes, such as transporting equipment for a hospital, machinery for a construction project and experts and skilled workers to a company or project.

It will be expanded to 400-500 hectares from its current 100ha under the public-private partnership model.

The ministry has asked the province to work closely with relevant agencies to include the airport development plan in the local socio-economic strategy, in accordance with Government Decree No. 42 issued in 2016 on the operation of specialised airports.

A specialised airport is designed for special aviation purposes or passenger and goods transport, rather than common public transportation.

Specialised aircraft are helicopters, seaplanes, small flat-wing aircraft, and unmanned aircraft.

The Ministry of National Defense will collaborate closely with the Ministry of Construction, Ministry of Transport and the province’s government to build the airport’s construction plan.

About 130km away from HCM City, Bình Phước borders Cambodia and is expected to become a major industrial hub in the southern region. — VNS