Turkey Sends Technical Team and Equipment to Develop Damascus Airport

 

Turkey Sends Technical Team and Equipment to Develop Damascus Airport

Turkey has initiated a major project to rehabilitate and modernize Damascus International Airport. A 25-member technical team has been dispatched to Syria to upgrade airport facilities and train staff on new equipment provided by Turkey.

### **Turkey’s Commitment to Damascus Airport Development**

According to Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, the team consists of experts from the Directorate General of State Airports Authority. Their mission is to restore and improve the airport, which has suffered significant degradation over the past 13 years.

The team entered Syria through the Cilvegözü border crossing, which corresponds to Bab al-Hawa on the Syrian side, on February 7. Along with them, Turkey sent six trucks loaded with 113 pieces of equipment aimed at ensuring the safety of flights within Damascus Airport and Syrian airspace.

### **Scope of the Turkish Mission**

The Turkish technical team is installing and maintaining essential airport systems, including:

- **Air navigation systems**

- **Aviation electronics**

- **Security and rescue electronics**

- **Fire safety equipment**

The team has also assessed existing deficiencies in airport infrastructure in coordination with Syrian authorities. Additionally, Turkey has provided training for Syrian personnel on handling the newly installed equipment.

### **Security and Fire Safety Enhancements**

To boost security measures, Turkey has delivered:

- 10 X-ray machines

- 4 explosive detection devices

- 10 metal detector gates

- 8 handheld metal detectors

So far, six X-ray machines and five metal detector gates have been successfully installed, with ongoing efforts to complete the rest.

In terms of fire safety, Turkey has supplied two **ARFF (Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting) vehicles**—Vulcan Lion 8x8 models—manufactured in Turkey, along with various firefighting tools. Syrian airport personnel have received training on operating these vehicles and other fire safety measures.

### **Impact on Air Traffic Operations**

The air navigation unit at Damascus Airport is now actively monitoring all flights in Syrian airspace, including landings, take-offs, and transits. Some of the damaged or inactive air navigation aids have been repaired, and two new transmitter-receiver systems have been installed in the airport’s control tower.

### **Regional Aviation Cooperation**

Parallel to these efforts, Syria and Qatar signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Doha to enhance cooperation in civil aviation. The agreement includes provisions for:

- **Advancing air navigation systems**

- **Improving airport infrastructure**

- **Collaborating on training and workforce development**

### **Conclusion**

Turkey’s involvement in the rehabilitation of Damascus International Airport represents a significant step toward modernizing Syria’s aviation sector. The project is expected to improve safety, efficiency, and operational standards in alignment with international norms.

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d #AirTravelSafety #MiddleEastAviation**