Singapore plans to invest approximately S$4 billion over the next 15 years to modernize its air navigation systems, including a major renovation of the control tower at Changi Airport, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced on July 22. The comprehensive upgrade aims to meet rising air travel demand and reinforce Singapore’s role as a key global aviation hub.

The revamp includes refurbishing the 80-meter-tall Changi Control Tower, a landmark at the airport, and upgrading the nearby Singapore Air Traffic Control Centre (SATCC) to support advanced air traffic management technologies. The SATCC handles aircraft operations during climb, cruise, and descent phases, while controllers in the tower focus mainly on takeoff and landing activities.

Work on the control tower refurbishment will begin in November and is expected to finish by the end of 2028. The project involves installing a new facade and constructing an annex connecting the tower with Jewel Changi Airport. The tower’s last exterior update was in 1997; recent safety concerns arose due to parts of the old facade loosening and detaching, prompting the need for refurbishment.

Simultaneously, CAAS is developing a new SATCC complex on its current premises, undertaking the project in stages to maintain uninterrupted 24/7 air traffic operations. The first phase, consisting of new electrical substations and a multi-storey car park, has been completed. The second phase, which commenced in 2025 and is slated to conclude by 2028, will add upgraded operational and maintenance facilities, alongside enhanced employee amenities.

These upgrades coincide with Changi Airport’s preparation for three-runway operations, scheduled to begin by the end of the decade. The additional runway will increase flight-handling capacity and improve the safety and efficiency of air traffic management in the region.

Looking further ahead, the opening of Terminal 5 and the broader Changi East development in the mid-2030s is expected to nearly double the airport’s physical size and increase its annual passenger capacity from 90 million to 140 million. To accommodate this growth, CAAS plans to expand its air traffic controller workforce by around 40%, increasing from about 500 to 700 personnel by that time.

Currently, air traffic controllers at Changi manage roughly 2,000 daily flights, including 1,000 arrivals and departures. The airport recorded 374,000 aircraft movements in 2025, equating to one takeoff or landing approximately every 84 seconds.

To attract and train more Singaporean air traffic controllers, CAAS will introduce targeted initiatives such as an air traffic control specialization program at a local university and a management associate scheme for recent graduates.

Over the next 15 years, the authority will replace or upgrade more than 30 air navigation systems, integrating technologies such as artificial intelligence to enhance controller decision-making. A pivotal enhancement will be the installation of a next-generation air traffic management system to supersede the current platform, which has been in service for about a decade and is nearing the end of its operational lifespan. The new system is designed to accommodate up to one million aircraft movements annually, compared with the current 374,000 movements handled per year.