The Patriot Files Forums  

Go Back   The Patriot Files Forums > Branch Posts > Airforce

Post New Thread  Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 02-12-2021, 06:56 AM
Boats's Avatar
Boats Boats is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sauk Village, IL
Posts: 21,784
Arrow The U.S. Air Force Is Building an Air Base Deep in the Western Pacific. Why?

The U.S. Air Force Is Building an Air Base Deep in the Western Pacific. Why?
By: Caleb Larson - National Interest News - 02-12-21
Re: https://nationalinterest.org/blog/re...fic-why-178043

Photo link: https://nationalinterest.org/sites/d...?itok=p6ox44SB
Topic: Security Region: Asia Blog Brand: The Reboot Tags: New U.S. Air ForceAir Base Why: China
New Base Location: Tinian is a Nothern Mariana Island Chain.

Why you say: It's all with an eye on China!

Here's what you need to know: A recent flurry of construction is aimed at bolstering the United States’ Pacific presence in that area.

A local Mariana Islands newspaper recently quoted the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands regarding an Air Force divert airport planned for Tinian, a part of the Northern Mariana island chain, saying, “it’s happening.”

Previously, the Department of Defense had signed a $21.9 million, forty-year lease with the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands government. The 2019 construction deal’s goal was airport infrastructure modernization, including running a fuel pipeline from the seaport to the airport, and expanding Tinian’s airstrip to allow for more and heavier aircraft to land with the intention of facilitating smoother aerial tanker refueling.

It's new location is Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

The CNMI, more commonly known as the Mariana Islands, form the westernmost point of United States territory. As such, the group of islands jut outward into the Pacific nearly 4,000 miles west of Hawaii.

Currently, the United States has a large military presence on Guam, (geographically part of the Mariana Islands, but administratively separate), including a brand-new Marine Corps base named Camp Blaz. Blaz is the first new USMC base in nearly seventy-five years, and a place that 5,000 Marines will eventually call home.

Andersen Air Force base, also located on Guam, is one of the most important air bases in the western Pacific, and is also the only base west of Hawaii that is capable of servicing the United States’ strategic bomber platforms: the B-1 Lancer, B-2, and B-52. Naval Base Guam is the naval component of the Joint Region Marianas, the region’s management authority.

Tinian

Located about 120 miles northeast of Guam, Tinian is well-positioned as a divert airfield. In that secondary capacity, Tinian’s expanded facilities could be used in the event that support infrastructure on Guam is not available, Why you say? It's primarily due to a natural disaster—or war. (Basically its a backup for Guam).

A 2016 article published by Stars and Stripes, an American military newspaper, quoted the then Chief of Staff of the Air Force, who stated that “The divert initiative in CNMI will create the only divert airfield in the Western Pacific and provide the U.S. Air Force the capability to conduct either temporary or sustained refueling operations from an additional location in the region… It will also give us another location to use when supporting contingency or natural disaster responses in the region.”

Postscript

Exactly when the expanded Tinian airstrip and infrastructure will be finished is unclear, though one thing is sure: the United States is rapidly expanding its Pacific presence at a time when tensions with China are rising. And in the event of a conflict, Guam and Tinian could likely form the tip of the American military spear.

About this writer: Caleb Larson is a Defense Writer with The National Interest. He holds a Master of Public Policy and covers U.S. and Russian security, European defense issues, and German politics and culture.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Personal note: It seems that all branch service(s) will be inpart playing a role in its readiness and provisional support once in place. One question I have is what about the weather in that area?

A couple links showing the locations of the mariana Islands - Saipan, Tinian & Guam:
1) Re: https://www.saipanliving.com/images/saipanmap
2) Re: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...nds_closer.jpg

Geography:
Location Pacific Ocean
Coordinates 15°00′N 145°38′ECoordinates: 15°00′N 145°38′E
Archipelago Marianas
Area 101.22 km2 (39.08 sq mi)[1]
Highest elevation 171 m (561 ft)
Highest point Mount Lasso
Administration
United States
Commonwealth Northern Mariana Islands
Largest settlement San Jose
Demographics
Population 3,136 (2010)

During WWII the US Marines battled the Japanese in 1944:
Photo link: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...r_Buffalo.JPEG

History link for more data on the Islands from 1914 (WWI) thru 1944 (WWII)
Re: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinian

Note during WWII the US had a base on West Field, Tinian where B-29 Superfortress Bombers flew out of.

During the 1980s, one of the runways on North Field was kept active to allow U.S. Air Force C-130s to take off and land in support of U.S. Marine Corps training exercises in the north end of the island. The two northern airstrips, Alpha and Bravo, were cleared of vegetation and the limestone coral that had been disturbed by roots was excavated and replaced by Marines of the 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd FSSG, 3rd Marine Division then stationed at Camp Hansen, Okinawa in late 1981. That unit had been transported by sea aboard the USS Cayuga, LST-1186.[12][verification needed] The military presence began to be replaced by tourism in the 1990s, but still plays an important role in the local economy.[citation needed]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Boats
__________________
Boats

O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:21 AM.


Powered by vBulletin, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.