US Air Force eyes expanded operations in Northern Marianas

By Andrew Curran.

The United States Air Force is considering aircraft training and exercises at airfields across the Northern Mariana Islands, including Saipan, Tinian, Tinian North Field and Rota airports. The Air Force outlined its intentions in a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement, published in the US Federal Register late last week.

The US Air Force already has an active presence in the Northern Mariana Islands, a self-governing US territory, but is looking to expand its activities by conducting small, medium and large-scale training and exercise events at the nominated airfields.

Saipan (SPN), Tinian (TIQ) and Rota (ROP) airports are active facilities, but North Tinian, best known as the site from which aircraft took off in 1945 to drop atomic bombs on Japan, has been disused for decades. However, in recent years, the Air Force has been working to bring the airfield back into service, with plans to have two of its four runways operational by 2027. It reopened for limited operations earlier this year.

The Federal Register filing suggests the training and exercises would involve an additional 1,200 fixed-wing and 320 rotary-wing aircraft movements each year at each of the four airfields.

“Training and exercise events would be supported by up to 550,000 gallons of fuel per airfield, including fuel receipt, storage and distribution; up to 1,000 personnel per airfield; temporary installation of expeditionary infrastructure and utilities; munitions handling, including chaff and flare; support services; and associated pre- and post-training and exercise activities,” the filing adds.

Aircraft training and exercises to help maintain operational readiness in the Indo-Pacific

The Air Force says the aircraft training and exercises would help it conduct distributed operations across multiple locations within a geographically compact area, supporting its Agile Combat Employment concept and helping maintain operational readiness and responsiveness in the Indo-Pacific.

“(The Air Force) requires opportunities to train and exercise personnel, aircraft and equipment across multiple locations in the CNMI to develop the skills, procedures and relationships necessary to rapidly manoeuvre, sustain and employ forces in a dynamic operational environment,” the filing reads.

“The proposal is based on (Air Force) requirements but could also support training and exercises involving other Department of Defense services, allies or partner nations.”

Two alternative pathways are also being considered. The first, a higher-level scenario, would increase the number of proposed aircraft training and exercise activities by 20%. The second alternative would involve taking no action and abandoning the proposal.

No interest in major base in Northern Marianas, says US military

Saipan-based, non-partisan grassroots community group Our Common Wealth 670, which opposes the militarisation of the islands, among other things, says the 30-day public scoping period is too short and should be doubled to give local residents more time to consider the proposal.

“The timing of this scoping period raises serious concerns,” a spokesperson said.

The Northern Mariana Islands and neighbouring Guam, where the US military also maintains a substantial presence, have long been strategically important because of their location in the western Pacific. Their proximity to contested waters in the South China Sea continues to make them strategically relevant.

Recently, US military representatives said the Northern Mariana Islands did not have enough land to become a major military base, but could serve as a useful staging and logistics post or, as the representatives described it, a “power projection platform”.

The US Air Force will hold a series of meetings across the Northern Mariana Islands in November to gather local feedback on its plans. Written submissions will be accepted until the end of the month.

A draft environmental impact statement is expected to be released in the latter half of 2028, with a final version scheduled for mid-2028.

Photo: United States Air Force
Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com