Defense renovations to close Eindhoven Airport for five months: report

The Ministry of Defense wants to completely renovate the runway at Eindhoven Air Base. The work will take approximately 22 weeks, and Eindhoven Airport will have to be closed during that time, Eindhovens Dagblad reports based on a market consultation started by the Central Government Real Estate Agency.

According to the document, the renovations will take from February to June, but the start date has not yet been determined. The tendering process is still in its early phases. Interested contractors can register until the end of this month, and then the government will choose six candidates to compete for the tender.

The work includes a complete renovation of the Air Base runway, including lighting, cabling, and drainage. The Ministry is also planning several upgrades, including upgrading the Instrument Landing System (ILS), which makes landing and takeoff possible in dense fog, from Category 1 to Category 3. According to the newspaper, this upgrade is a long-held wish of Eindhoven Airport.

Defense also wants to install a braking system for fighter jets like the F-35. The runway will be widened with shoulders. And a second taxiway will be added on the east side of the runway. That will improve airport safety as aircraft won’t have to cross the runway before takeoff or after landing.