Paya Lebar Air Base
| Paya Lebar Airbase | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lapangan Terbang Paya Lebar 巴耶利峇空軍基地 பாயா லெபார் விமான தளம் | |||||||
| Paya Lebar, Singapore in Singapore | |||||||
The control tower and terminal building in 1971 | |||||||
| Site information | |||||||
| Type | Military airbase | ||||||
| Owner | Ministry of Defence | ||||||
| Operator | Republic of Singapore Air Force | ||||||
| Controlled by | Republic of Singapore Air Force | ||||||
| Condition | Operational | ||||||
| Location | |||||||
Paya Lebar Airbase Location in Singapore | |||||||
| Coordinates | 01°21′37″N 103°54′34″E / 1.36028°N 103.90944°E | ||||||
| Site history | |||||||
| Built | 21 August 1955 (as Singapore International Airport) | ||||||
| In use | 1955 – present | ||||||
| Fate | Decommissioned by 2030s | ||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||
| Identifiers | IATA: QPG, ICAO: WSAP | ||||||
| |||||||
| Source: DAFIF | |||||||
Paya Lebar Air Base (IATA: QPG, ICAO: WSAP) is a military airbase operated by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), situated along Airport Road in Paya Lebar, within the eastern region of Singapore. Serving as a key installation for the RSAF, the airbase adopts the motto Strength Through Readiness, reflecting its operational commitment and strategic significance within Singapore's defence framework.
Originally established in 1955 as the Singapore International Airport, it was built to replace the former Kallang Airport as the country’s main civil aviation hub. The airport played a crucial role in Singapore’s early aviation history until 1980, when civilian air traffic was moved to Changi Airport. That same year, control of the facility was handed over to the RSAF, and the site was officially designated as Paya Lebar Air Base.
According to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)'s Master Plan, Paya Lebar Air Base is planned for decommissioning by around 2030. The site will be redeveloped into a new town, featuring residential and commercial areas. In preparation for this, RSAF operations are progressively being shifted to other airbases across the country, including expanded facilities at Changi and Tengah, throughout the 2020s.