President Dr Mohamed Muizzu on Wednesday officially inaugurated the Maldives National Defence Force’s (MNDF) first dedicated air station, named the Gan Air Station.
This landmark event held during President Dr Muizzu’s ongoing visit to Addu City, formalises a key component of the island nation’s defense strategy, significantly expanding the capabilities of the newly constituted Air Corps.
The commissioning of Gan Air Station follows a Presidential Decree issued on 3 November, which established the core mission for the MNDF’s air wing. Under the Decree, the MNDF Air Corps had been directed to establish and operationalise the air station to support airspace surveillance, monitoring of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and the execution of Air Corps operations. The Decree further mandates the implementation of 24-hour continuous airspace surveillance over the EEZ to ensure the Air Corps effectively fulfils its operational and national security responsibilities.
The establishment of the Air Corps itself was formalised earlier on 15 March 2024, under a separate Presidential Decree. The opening of Gan Air Station fulfills the subsequent directive for the MNDF to establish and commence service of its first air station, ensuring the MNDF can fully execute its duties.
President Dr Muizzu had previously inaugurated the MNDF’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) service at a ceremony held at Maafaru International Airport last year. With the commissioning of the Gan Air Station, all air military operations necessary to maintain the security of Maldivian airspace have now been fully launched.
Following the formal inauguration ceremony, the President conducted a comprehensive inspection of the new facility. The Gan Air Station will provide a major and immediate boost to the country’s maritime and airspace management capabilities, positioning the MNDF to independently secure and defend the island nation’s sovereign territory.