Sansha Yongxing Airport Explained

Sansha Yongxing Airport
Iata:XYI
Icao:ZJYX
Coordinates:16.8336°N 112.345°W
Pushpin Map:South China Sea
Pushpin Label:XYI
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of airport in the South China Sea
Type:Civilian, military
Operator:Sansha Yongxing Airport Administration (HNA Infrastructure Investment Group)
PLA Air Force
City-Served:Sansha, Hainan
Location:Yongxing Island
Metric-Elev:yes
Metric-Rwy:yes
R1-Number:05/23
R1-Length-M:2,700
R1-Surface:Asphalt/concrete
Stat-Year:2021
Stat1-Header:Passengers
Stat1-Data:36,405
Stat2-Header:Aircraft movements
Stat2-Data:523
Stat3-Header:Cargo (metric tons)
Stat3-Data:200.2
Footnotes:Source:
Order:st
S:三沙永兴机场
T:三沙永興機場
P:Sānshā Yǒngxīng Jīchǎng

Sansha Yongxing Airport is a civilian-military dual-use airport located on Yongxing Island, the largest of the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.[1] Yongxing/Woody Island is occupied and administered by China (PRC) as the seat of Sansha city of Hainan Province. The airport was expanded in 1990 to increase the combat range of Chinese warplanes.[2] Further construction and reclamation of land commenced in 2012 to lengthen the airstrip. This work was completed in October 2014.[3]

Military drills with fighter aircraft landing and taking off at Yongxing Island Airport were carried out and telecast on CCTV in December 2017.[4]

Facilities

Yongxing Island Airport has a runway that is long,[1] capable of handling any fourth generation fighter aircraft of the Chinese airforce such as the Sukhoi Su-30MK2. The airport has four hangars, a radar navigation station and four large fuel tanks, enabling it to serve as a forward deployment base for refueling warplanes on combat missions.[5] A two-storey 3500sqm terminal building with control tower is found on south side of the runway. It has a domestic arrival and departure areas. The terminal has three gates to handle civil airliners.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: http://mil.eastday.com/eastday/mil1/m/20120604/u1a6599839.html . zh:专家建议造浮岛机场让战机作战半径覆盖南海 . Eastday . zh . 4 June 2012 . 11 July 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131005000055/http://mil.eastday.com/eastday/mil1/m/20120604/u1a6599839.html . 5 October 2013 .
  2. Book: The Coming Conflict with China . Bernstein, Richard . Munro, Ross H. . 1998 . Vintage Books . 978-0679776628 . 74.
  3. News: Construction of airstrip completed on Yongxing Island (pictures) . 4 June 2018 . Peoples Daily . 9 October 2014.
  4. News: China showcases jet fighters on South China Sea island . 4 June 2018 . The Indian Express . 3 December 2017.
  5. Web site: Analysis: China's air-sea buildup . Chang, Andrei . 26 September 2008 . Spacewar.com . 11 July 2012.