Aviation services and technology firm Draken Europe is to begin work on its new hangar at Teesside Airport after plans were given the green light.
The company currently maintains a fleet of five specially modified Dassault Falcon jets at its base at the airport, and recently took delivery of its first Alca L-159E “Honey Badger” advanced combat jets as part of a new contract.
Draken Europe will now build a second state-of-the-art hangar measuring almost 5,000sq ft alongside its existing facility, to house the aircraft and support the critical role the firm plays in training combat pilots from the Royal Air Force, United States Air Force, and other NATO member states.
The move will create up to 30 new jobs, the first of which were advertised in April.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen visited the firm, which signed a long-term deal with the airport in 2020 when it was known as Cobham Aviation, to understand first-hand its expansion plans.
He said: “Draken has been a long-term supporter of Teesside Airport and I’m thrilled it’s now making its expansion a reality with this new hangar. For years, the company has been one of the valuable businesses that calls our airport its home. This is the latest vote of confidence in the site and our region, also helping to provide dozens of good-quality well-paid jobs for local people.
“This is yet another project kicking off in 2022, our year of construction, and we’re seeing that at the airport too. We’ve already broken ground on the new link road ahead of work starting on our £200million business park, and Draken is proof businesses have a fantastic opportunity to grow at Teesside Airport.”
Draken Europe has been located at the airport for more than 25 years and combines advanced aviation and surveillance technologies with highly skilled people to deliver a range of mission-critical global aviation services for military and civil customers worldwide.
