The government's decision to relocate the historic Air Force firing range from Alcochete to Alter do Chão puts at risk a private agricultural ecosystem, a heritage institution founded in 1748 and a legal framework for environmental protection approved by the State itself. The impact falls directly on Alter do Chão, Crato, Fronteira, Monforte and neighbouring municipalities.
The choice of Alter do Chão is not an isolated act. It results from a decision-making chain initiated with the approval, in May 2024, of the new Luís de Camões airport in Lisbon at the current firing range of Alcochete. The decision to build the airport at that location was made by the Government of Prime Minister Luís Montenegro through Council of Ministers Resolution No. 66/2024.
July 2025 · Administrative preparationThis option made the evacuation of the Alcochete military space inevitable. On 17 July 2025, the Government approved Council of Ministers Resolution No. 111/2025, which determined the Air Force to prepare the studies for the new location and attributed to the Directorate-General of Armament and National Defence Heritage (DGAPDN) competence for the subsequent administrative acts, with express reference to "possible expropriations". The resolution set the end of 2025 (31 December 2025) as the deadline for the presentation of the Air Force's prior studies.
March 2026 · The announcement before the studyBefore the public conclusion of these studies and before any formal consultation, the Minister of National Defence Nuno Melo called a press conference in Lisbon, on 11 March 2026, and announced Alter do Chão as the certain destination. The official statement was published on portugal.gov.pt the next day, at 10:26. The political act preceded the technical instruction.
Nuno Melo, Minister of National Defence, press conference, Lisbon, 11 March 2026. Statement published on portugal.gov.pt on 12 March, 10:26. The competent government member acknowledges, in an official speech, that the legally required studies had not been done at the time the project's destination was made public.
The project plans to occupy about 7,500 hectares, spanning several municipalities of the Alto Alentejo (Alter do Chão, Monforte, Crato and Fronteira). Almost the entirety of this area corresponds to private agricultural property, covering over fifty family or corporate farms.
The completely private composition of the perimeter is not fortuitous: the perimeter falls almost entirely on private land. The State has, in the region, its own public land and community common lands that do not fall on families, yet the announced perimeter falls on private farms. When the project moves forward, the private farms will be exposed to expropriation proceedings under the terms of the Expropriation Code.
Five compromised axes simultaneouslyAt stake are, simultaneously, five axes of value that the project compromises together:
The institutional synthesis of the platform's position is structured in three articulated stages.
On 11 March 2026, the Minister of Defence announced that the firing range is leaving Alcochete and coming to Alter do Chão. He announced without prior studies, without Environmental Impact Assessment, without public consultation, without revealing the cost, and without saying that a high-pressure gas pipeline crosses the area.
The Government admitted not having studies. It approved, 28 days before, the Decree-Law that protects the chosen area. It did not consult REN, did not consult the population, did not compare alternatives. It constitutes a breach of procedure, of constitutional principles, and of the binding European framework.
The Air Force has identified Mértola and Serpa as the best technical option since 2007. NATO has been offering Bardenas Reales (Spain) since 1982, with 80% capacity available, at 5 to 20 million euros per year. First the study, then the decision.
The official detailed cartography of the perimeter is not, to date, publicly available. The Ministry of National Defence has not published plans, exact areas or official lists of affected buildings. The cartographic material in circulation corresponds to the elements gathered by the affected farmers, overlaid on open reference cartography. As far as is known, this is also the only material to which the municipality itself has had access to date. It is indicative. It does not replace official cartography.
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The process crosses multiple levels of decision and administration. For an individual and detailed characterisation of each actor, with their declared position and documentary sources, please consult the Actors page.
The situation as of June 2026 is as follows. The public petition PT130367 has exceeded 2,300 signatures and crossed the legal threshold of 1,000 signatures that requires publication in the Assembly of the Republic's Journal and a hearing of the petitioners in committee. Four parliamentary groups have presented oversight initiatives. The Mayor has publicly reversed his initial position and stated that he is awaiting the studies.
Documented silencesThe Air Force's prior studies have not been published. The official cartography of the project is not public. The Alter Real Royal Stud, a central institution of the affected UNESCO heritage, has not issued a public statement on the case. The Portuguese Environment Agency has no record of an open procedure on the participa.pt portal.
Immediate prioritiesThe "No to the Firing Range" platform works in conjunction with organised farmers, environmental associations, political forces and the press. The immediate priorities are: obtaining official cartography through formal request; technical instruction for the Environmental Impact Assessment when it opens; civic mobilisation to reinforce the institutional weight of the case.