US Air Force Takes Back Pacific Airfield, Responds to China
The US Air Force plans to reactivate the historic Pacific island airfield that played a pivotal role in World War II, targeting China's growing influence This move aims to expand basing options and maintain military readiness in the face of potential hostilities, according to the top US officer in the Pacific
The commander of Pacific Air Forces, Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, stated in a recent interview with Nikkei Asia that the US Air Force is planning to revive the North Airfield on the Pacific island of Tinian. This decision is part of the Air Force's efforts to expand its options for military bases in the event of potential conflicts with China. Once reclaimed from the dense jungle that has overtaken the base since its abandonment in 1946, the island airfield will be transformed into an extensive facility.
"Wilsbach mentioned that if you keep a close eye over the next few months, you'll witness considerable development, particularly at Tinian North," The Air Force is also constructing additional facilities at Tinian International Airport located at the heart of the island, "Pacific Air Forces verified Wilsbach's remarks to CNN, but stated that there has been no official announcement on the matter."
Runways last used in World War II are still visible at North Field on Tinian island in January 2020.
Brad Lendon/CNN
Tinian, a US territory in the Pacific, is part of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, situated 6,000 kilometers (3,700 miles) west of Hawaii. The 39-square-mile island is home to approximately 3,000 residents.
Wilsbach did not give a timeline on when the airfield will be operational, according to the Nikkei report.
Pivotal in World War II
Tinian, as well as the neighboring islands of Saipan and Guam, have a significant history of US air operations. During World War II, once captured from Japanese occupiers, all three islands became bases for fleets of B-29 Superfortress bombers, which carried out devastating attacks on the Japanese homeland.
The deadliest bombing raid in history occurred on March 10, 1945, when Tokyo was firebombed, resulting in the deaths of up to 100,000 people and injuring a million others. This devastating attack was executed by B-29s launched from three islands.
Amidst the relentless bombing of Japan in 1945, North Field on Tinian emerged as the world's largest and busiest airport, boasting four 8,000-foot runways and accommodating 40,000 personnel.
In early August 1945, the B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay was seen moving over the bomb pit on the North Field of Tinian air base, located in the North Marianas Islands. The plane was carrying an atomic bomb, codenamed Little Boy, which it later released over the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6th.
On August 6, 1945, North Field made history when the B-29 bomber named Enola Gay took off from Runway Able, carrying the atomic bomb that would devastate Hiroshima. This event marked the beginning of the nuclear age, claiming the lives of 70,000 people with its initial blast.
Three days later, another B-29, named Bockscar, would take off from Tinian to drop an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, killing 46,000 people with its initial blast.
An enclosure covers the pit at North Field, Tinian, from which an atomic bomb was loaded on a B-29 bomber for the bombing of Hiroshima in August 1945.
Brad Lendon/CNN
A storied past, contemporary uses
The Air Forces Fiscal Year 2024 budget request shows $78 million has been sought for construction projects on Tinian island.
The reclamation project is a component of the US military's Agile Combat Employment (ACE) strategy, as stated in an Air Force doctrine document, which aims to transition operations from central infrastructures to a network of smaller, scattered locations. This approach aims to make adversary planning more complex and offer greater options for joint force commanders. In the Pacific, a significant portion of US air power is concentrated in large air bases such as Andersen Air Force Base on Guam and Kadena Air Base on the Japanese island of Okinawa.
Targeting those bases could severely limit the US military's capability to retaliate against an enemy if a significant amount of US air power is stationed there. As China, the country deemed by the Pentagon to be its greatest threat, expands its missile arsenal, the Air Force is seeking alternative locations to deploy its fleet in order to make it harder to target.
According to a paper published by the Air University of the Air Forces in 2022, ACE serves to counter (Chinese) threats by strategically dispersing forces across the theater using hub-and-spoke basing configurations. This approach provides the service with unpredictability and compels the Peoples Liberation Army to use more missiles in an effort to diminish the effects of the US Air Force airpower.
The ruins of World War II-era buildings at North Airfield, Tinian, are seen in January 2020.
Brad Lendon/CNN
"Wilsbach informed Nikkei that while creating a targeting problem may lead to taking some hits, the majority of forces will continue to have an impact."
"The Air Force has been implementing the ACE concept on Tinian, which includes the operation of F-22 stealth fighters at its international airport during exercise Agile Reaper in March."
The US fighter jets had to rely solely on their own supplies or those brought in by C-17 transports at the airport, in order to demonstrate their ability to operate in a challenging environment, according to a statement from the Air Force. Additionally, the F-22s also participated in Agile Reaper from Guam, which is 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of Tinian.
