26 October 2024
Recent satellite imagery reveals a new airstrip emerging on Barque Canada Reef, an artificial island developed by Vietnam in the contested Spratly Islands within the South China Sea.
Imagery from Earth observation company Planet Labs shows a partially completed runway, currently extending about 1,050 meters (3,445 feet) across the center of the reef.
Since 2021, Barque Canada Reef, one of the Vietnam-controlled Spratly islands, has seen rapid development. As of October 2024, estimates suggest the total land area has more than doubled in the past year to nearly 2.5 square kilometers (617.7 acres).
The island now spans about 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles), potentially allowing for an airstrip exceeding 3,000 meters in length.
Gregory Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, indicated that Barque Canada Reef “has been prepared for an airstrip.” In June, AMTI noted the reef’s potential for a 3,000-meter runway, similar to those China operates in the Spratlys. Currently, Vietnam has only one airstrip in the region on Spratly Island, which measures 1,300 meters.
“The new airstrip will considerably expand Vietnam’s maritime patrol capabilities as the existing runway on Spratly Island is too short for larger aircraft,” said Poling.
Several Vietnamese sources, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, indicated that plans are in place to build additional runways—possibly two or three—on islands claimed by Hanoi.
Vietnam can currently use shorter runways for small aircraft like Antonov An-2 transport planes or helicopters, but a longer runway would be essential for deploying combat aircraft, one source noted.
The Vietnamese government and military are reportedly prioritizing the development of Barque Canada Reef, also called Bai Thuyen Chai (or “Fishing Boat Reef”) in Vietnamese due to its distinctive shape.
Vietnam’s navy claims it first occupied Barque Canada in 1978 but had to withdraw shortly thereafter due to “unsustainable conditions.” A decade later, they returned, establishing three outposts that have since evolved into permanent structures, complete with facilities for stationed troops, visiting fishermen, and even a “cultural center.”
