The former Nabire Airport was built by the
Dutch colonial government in 1941 during
World War II, serving as a military base and a hub for mobilizing logistics for Dutch forces in anticipation of a
Japanese invasion. Following the Dutch capitulation in 1942, the airbase was taken over by the
Japanese and continued to function as a military base for their operations against
Allied forces in the
Pacific Theater. The Japanese considered Nabire a strategic airbase due to its location at the southern end of
Geelvink Bay; however, only a limited number of aircraft were stationed there, and it was used primarily as a refueling stop. In 1944, the Japanese used the Nabire airstrip as a launch point for attacks against Allied positions on
Biak and
Owi to the north. The airport was subsequently handed over to the
Indonesian government in 1963 following the
New York Agreement, under which the Dutch recognized Indonesia’s sovereignty over
Western New Guinea. To consolidate Indonesia’s control over the Nabire region and support the plebiscite on Indonesia’s rule in Western New Guinea, known as the
Act of Free Choice, the government upgraded the airport’s infrastructure in 1969, including the construction of a new terminal and administrative offices. He ordered the pilot to divert to
Manokwari so he could visit his family. On 23 November 2023, President
Joko Widodo inaugurated the new Douw Aturure Airport alongside
Siboru Airport in
Fakfak. Construction of the new airport took two years from 2020 to 2022. In total, the construction of the airport cost approximately Rp 671.54 billion, funded through the state budget (APBN). == Facilities and development ==