The Eastern peninsula within Antigua’s North East Marine Management Area harbors a significant historical transformation at Runway 10. This site, originally established as a strategic U.S. Military and Air Force Base, served as a crucial surveillance and operations center for the Eastern Caribbean and Latin America throughout the post-war era. Its strategic value was immediately recognized by both British and American authorities for regional oversight.
Following a broader trend of decommissioning smaller U.S. bases in the hemisphere, the Antiguan facility was closed. The leased territories and structures were subsequently returned to the Antiguan government, leaving the airport lands surrounding the runway in a state of abandonment. This neglect transformed the airside peninsula into a remote and largely ungoverned area, reportedly becoming a dumping ground and a site for illicit activities due to its isolation near the international airport.
A pivotal shift began in 1999. To manage the increasing traffic of private jets from affluent residents of Mill Reef, Jumby Bay, and Barbuda’s Coco Pointe, operations were relocated to the defunct Runway 10. This initiated a comprehensive conversion from a military installation into a dedicated General Aviation Complex. Endorsed by prominent local figures like the Mellons, the government leased the land to a local aviation entrepreneur to establish Antigua’s first Fixed Base Operation (FBO), catalyzing the area’s redevelopment into an elite hub for corporate and private aviation.
While the U.S. presence evolved—transitioning to support for the NASA Space Program—a cordial relationship with the new aviation operators was maintained. Heavy military aircraft activity gradually diminished, with only occasional visits from hurricane weather aircraft, ceasing entirely as the runway became dedicated to private use.
The fundamental incompatibility between military protocols and the standards of high-end private aviation underpins a clear operational boundary. This principle recently guided the Prime Minister’s decision to refuse military assets on Runway 10, a stance that was accepted without contention by the previous Head of the U.S. Southern Command. Today, Runway 10 stands firmly as a exclusive General Aviation area, dedicated solely to serving the world’s wealthy, famous, and royal clientele.