Ramboll supports £46 million refurbishment of RAF base in Cyprus

16 May 2017 Consultancy.uk

Engineering consultancy Ramboll have completed overseeing the refurbishment of the Royal Air Force base in Akrotiri, Cyprus. The project, which included a range of auxiliary features, was completed in 21 months at a price tag of £46 million.

Built in 1950, RAF Akrotiri is located in the south of Cyprus, where the station plays a key role in region as a staging ground for UK and allied forces, largely due to its proximity to the Middle East.

Recently however the base had come into need of repair, and the runway in particular was earmarked for redevelopment. With construction beginning in 2015, the airfield refurbishment project, budgeted for £46 million, lasted under two years, and saw the old runway completely relayed with a new surface and featuring the latest in lighting and safety designs. Remarkably, the work was completed during a period in which the airfield was on active duty, with work limited to a 7-hour window each day.

Engineering and consulting company Ramboll was drafted onto the upgrade project, which included the overlay of the existing runway; construction of a new taxiway; reconstruction of 3 No Dispersals; 2 No turnpads; installation of a new AGL system; installation of a new drainage network to entire scheme including petrol interceptors and emergency fuel storage tanks to cater for spillages and Runway Hydraulic Arrestor Gear (RHAGs).

Ramboll supports 46 million refurbishment of RAF base in Cyprus

For the project the UK arm of Ramboll provided management, technical and financial services to the project – aiming at fortifying the runway for the coming 20 years of service for the British Forces stationed at RAF Akrotiri.

The runway was formally opened last month, at a ceremony hosted by RAF's Station Commander Group Captain M. J. Blackburn, which along with base personnel was attended by a range of high-ranking officials, including the governmental Defence Infrastructure Organisation Chief Executive David Mitchard. Also amongst those in attendance were dignitaries and stakeholders from the Republic of Cyprus; along with Ramboll’s project team who worked on the project.

According to Ramboll, in 2019, British Forces Cyprus will become the largest permanent joint-operating base and permanent deployment of British troops overseas, with this latest upgrade aiming to ensure it is ready to support operations for the next two decades.