Ankara’s New VIP Gateway: Transforming Etimesgut Air Base Into A State Protocol Airport – OpEd

Ahead of the NATO high-level summit scheduled for July 2026, Etimesgut Air Base is undergoing a comprehensive transformation. The existing military airfield is being converted into a modern airport dedicated to state protocol operations and VIP flights.

A Cost-Effective Expansion Strategy: The East–West Land Choice

One of the most critical planning decisions in the project concerned where to expand the runway and apron areas. The Etimesgut runway has two terminal ends, each presenting different economic and logistical implications:

• Eastern End – Şaşmaz Industrial Zone

The eastern end borders Şaşmaz Oto Sanayi, a dense cluster of privately owned workshops, factories, and industrial units. Expropriating this area would require relocating numerous businesses, dismantling facilities, and managing legal processes — a long, highly complex, and extremely costly undertaking. As a result, eastward expansion was deemed impractical and inefficient.

• Western End – Ankara Sugar Factory Premises

The western side includes large tracts of land belonging to the Ankara Sugar Factory, which is already publicly owned. The facility today operates with reduced processing capacity and functions mainly as a support site for the company’s Ankara headquarters. Because ownership and land control are clear, expropriation procedures can be carried out rapidly, easily, and at significantly lower cost. This made the western direction the logical and economically optimal choice for runway and apron expansion.

This strategic land-use decision has been described by project planners as the key economic breakthrough that enabled the airport’s redevelopment timeline.

Runway, Apron, and Protocol Facilities

• Runway length will be extended to 3,000 meters with a 60-meter width.

• Apron and parking capacity will allow 45–50 aircraft to be stationed simultaneously.

• A 2,400 m² State Guesthouse / Honor Hall will be constructed for heads of state and official delegations.

• Operation of the facility will be transferred to the General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMİ), while property ownership will remain unchanged.

With these upgrades, the airport will be capable of accommodating not only private jets, but also large-body commercial and government aircraft.

Land Acquisition and Site Transformation: Ankara Sugar Factory Zone

To support the expansion, parts of the Ankara Sugar Factory complex — including residential quarters and auxiliary structures — have been designated for expropriation.

• Evacuation notices for factory housing have been issued, and some buildings have already been vacated.

• The reclaimed areas will be integrated into the new runway and apron layout, providing substantial operational surface for airfield infrastructure.

Some local stakeholders and heritage advocates emphasize the symbolic and historical value of the sugar factory. Project authorities, however, underline its low capacity and limited operational relevance, arguing that repurposing the site addresses Ankara’s evolving strategic needs — particularly the requirement for a secure and prestigious international protocol hub.

Strategic Advantages for Ankara

The transformation of Etimesgut Air Base provides Ankara with far more than an additional airfield:

• It creates a dedicated international protocol gateway, tailored for visiting heads of state and diplomatic missions.

• Its proximity to the city center offers rapid and secure access, a crucial advantage for high-level engagements.

• It supports rational urban development by redirecting underused industrial land toward a high-value public infrastructure function.

In this new configuration, Etimesgut Airport is positioned to become a long-term strategic asset, enhancing Ankara’s diplomatic posture and aviation capabilities.

Footnotes

1. Etimesgut Air Base’s runway will be extended to 3,000 meters; apron and parking areas will be expanded.
2. A 2,400 m² State Guesthouse / Honor Hall is planned for protocol use.
3. Parts of the Ankara Sugar Factory complex are subject to expropriation for runway and apron expansion; evacuation notices have been issued.
4. Airport operations will be transferred to DHMİ, while ownership remains unchanged.
5. Westward expansion was selected due to public ownership and low expropriation cost, whereas expropriating the Şaşmaz industrial area to the east would require costly and protracted negotiations with numerous private property holders.