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The Campo de Tiro de Alcochete is a military firing range. Before an airport can be built there, the range must be cleared and the training it hosts moved elsewhere.
The replacement firing range, to scale
A new range
In March 2026 the Ministry of National Defence announced that the replacement range, of about 7,500 hectares, will be in Alter do Chão, with the support of the municipal council. (The ministry’s page did not respond when we checked it on 18 October; these details come from our research baseline and will be re-verified.)
Clearing the old one
A Council of Ministers resolution of June 2026 (RCM 119/2026) authorised spending of up to €4.5 million plus VAT on demilitarisation work. ANA’s July release says the phased schedule should release the area needed for the airport by 2029 — the same year construction is due to start.
Protecting the land
RCM 30/2026 set preventive measures restricting land use in areas linked to the airport. We will publish their exact extent once we have read the resolution in full.
Still unknown
The total cost of the new range, its own environmental assessment, and how far the demilitarisation schedule depends on the airport’s approvals.