Spring Cleaning Will Result in Distributed Bases Throughout WWII Stomping Grounds

The Air Force is planning a return to the pacific isle of Tinian, a US territory 118 miles from Guam.

The North Airfield there was once the launching point for the Enola Gay, the place she was loaded for bear with the atomic bomb bound for Japan in 1945. The airfield, as jungle airfields tend to do, has been largely lost to time and overgrowth, with the once 8,500-foot paved runways hidden beneath decades of nature's touch. General Kenneth Wilsbach, commander of the Pacific Air Forces, reported that Tinian was in the process of being reclaimed from the greenery once again. He says that the fields should be cleared by summer. Last spring, Agile Reaper 23-1 saw Tinian serve as a roost for some F-22 Raptors, a prelude to the field becoming a permanent alternative location for Guam-based aircraft.

The interesting news set off some buzz, with astute readers noting with a passage in the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act that provides about $79 million dollars for Tinian's spring cleaning. Phase 1 of airfield development will see $26 million of that funding, bringing the North Airfield and surrounding facilities back to life. $21 million will go towards improving the fueling facilities, adding new fuel tanks and pipelines. $32 million will go towards adding more parking space, building a new apron there. Good ol' WWII handiwork stands the test of time, and those assets lay ripe for rejuvenation and refurbishment.

Tactically, the idea is sound, particularly in light of recent events in eastern Europe. Scattering American combat assets across smaller airfields prevents the formation of high-value targets ripe for a cruise missile. The USAF has pivoted to a concept it calls "Agile Combat Employment", allowing it a nice way to drum up additional funding in future budget requests. Tinian's neighboring islands of Guam, Rota, Saipan, and Farallon de Medinilla might just see a resurgence of funding as the Air Force seeks to make them ACE-ready in a similar manner to Tinian.

FMI:www.af.mil