2024 Schedule of Works
| Phase | Duration | Construction Phase | Impact |
| 29 | 18-Nov-24 to 14-Dec-24 | Pavement Construction (AGL cabling) |
Runway 11/29 full length available Secondary Runway 18/36 length reduced |
| 23 and 23A |
2-Dec-24 to 14-Dec-24 16-Dec-24 to 20-Dec-24 13-Jan-25 to 22-Feb-25 |
Grooving |
Runway full closure from 1:45 AM to 5:45 AM each day Regional airline traffic to operate from secondary runway if required Full runway TORA length available outside of closure times |
| 21A | 26-Feb-24 to 5-Apr-24 | Cut-over of AGL (deferred from Oct 2024) | Full runway length available |
| 24 | 3-Mar-25 to 15-Mar-25 | Mixed Construction Works |
24/7 works that occur concurrently with Phase 25 Runway 11/29 length reduced but no impact upon airline operations |
| 25 | 3-Mar-25 to 15-Mar-25 | Removal of redundant AGL |
Runway full closure from 1:45 AM to 5:45 AM each day Regional airline traffic to operate from secondary runway if required Full runway TORA length available outside of closure times |
| 26 | 12-Apr-24 to 15-May-24 | Mixed Construction Works |
24/7 works that occur concurrently with Phase 27 Runway 11/29 length reduced but no impact upon airline operations |
| 27 | 17-Mar-25 to 31-Mar-25 | Removal of redundant AGL |
Runway full closure from 1:45 AM to 5:45 AM each day Regional airline traffic to operate from secondary runway if required Full runway TORA length available outside of closure times |
| 28 | 31-Mar-25 to 19-Apr-25 | Removal of redundant AGL |
Full runway length available No impact upon airline operations |
A significant package of runway base course reconstruction and asphalt replacement works at RAAF Base Darwin / Darwin International Airport is underway. The works commenced in August 2023 and will be largely completed by December 2024. However, asphalt grooving and airfield lighting works will extend into the first part of 2025.
These essential works will support expected military and civilian air traffic into the Northern Territory until at least 2040 and the program of works has been developed with airlines and reviewed by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. The works will benefit all airport users, ensuring the integrity of the runways and taxiways and the safety of aircraft and passengers.
Extensive efforts have been and will continue to be made to minimise the disruption to airport users and the community. The 2025 runway works are not expected to have any impact upon airline flight schedules.
Works on the military aprons will also be undertaken in 2025, but again these works will not affect flight schedules or impact major exercises.
The total forecast cost of the runway works is $223 million.
The runway and airfield at RAAF Base Darwin is an important military asset, having supported Australian and multi-national aircraft as part of the International Peace Keeping Force that deployed to East Timor in 1999, as well as supporting casualty evacuations after the 2002 Bali bombings and relief efforts in Indonesia after the 2004 tsunami. More recently, in 2021, the base received repatriating Australians due to COVID-19 and assisted with the reception of evacuees from Afghanistan.