The US Air Force hopes to conduct more than 6,000 aircraft operations annually at four airfields across three American islands in the northwest Pacific Ocean. The proposal includes a major WWII airfield that is now being refurbished for renewed activity.

The Department of the Air Force published a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement covering the proposed operations. That review will assess “potential social, economic, and environmental effects” connected to training and other activities at the four locations.

The airfields are Saipan International Airport, Tinian International Airport, Tinian North Field and Rota International Airport. The islands belong to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, an unincorporated US territory.

The proposed exercises and training would support the Air Force’s Agile Combat Operations concept, known as ACE. The approach emphasizes dispersing forces among airfields and moving between locations while sustaining operations under a range of conditions.

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The goal is to prevent an adversary from shutting down operations by targeting a single base. ACE has developed largely in response to the expanding reach and growing missile arsenal of the Chinese military.

According to the notice, the four airfields offer “a unique opportunity” to support ACE because their infrastructure ranges from “fully developed commercial airfields to expeditionary operating locations.” That mix would give the Air Force several types of operating environments in a relatively compact area.

Saipan, Tinian and Rota sit within a few dozen nautical miles of one another. That proximity would permit training reflecting the complexity of distributed operations while limiting transit time between the islands.

The three islands also are less than 100 nautical miles north of the major military bases on Guam, another US territory. Their location would support the staging and deployment of forces participating in the proposed exercises.

The notice says three airfields collectively provide an environment where the Air Force can practice distributed operations, employ force packages tailored for particular missions and strengthen sustainment and maneuver capabilities. The training also is intended to improve operational resilience.

The environmental impact statement will examine small, medium and large exercises held several times annually for periods lasting a few weeks. Proposed activity at each airfield includes as many as 1,200 fixed wing operations and 320 rotary wing operations annually, including takeoffs and landings.

Reviewers also will assess an alternative allowing as many as 1,400 fixed wing operations and 384 rotary wing operations at each airfield every year. The environmental review will additionally evaluate a “No Action Alternative.”

Support for the proposed training could include as much as 550,000 gallons of fuel and up to 1,000 personnel at each airfield. Activities also could involve temporary expeditionary infrastructure, support services, the handling of munitions such as chaff and flares, and work conducted before and after exercises.

The proposal follows several years of upgrades, especially at the airfields on Tinian that were built and heavily used during WWII. North Field had been inactive since the war and was largely covered by vegetation when rehabilitation began in late 2023.

The Air Force also improved port and roadway infrastructure, fuel pipelines, airfield surfaces and utilities to support expanded operations on Tinian. Those rehabilitation efforts have raised questions among Air Force leaders about funding and resources, particularly as the war with Iran has placed additional demands on the force.

Residents have expressed mixed views about the projects. Some welcome construction investment and military activity, while others question whether expanded operations will benefit island populations and whether the Pentagon will remain transparent and responsive to local concerns.

The Department of the Air Force will hold public meetings this month on Saipan, Tinian and Rota to collect feedback. Written comments are due by Nov. 29, with a draft environmental impact statement planned for public comment in fall 2027 and a final version expected in the middle of 2028.

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