The Air Force this month selected the small Northern Mariana Island of Tinian as a divert location for aircraft in the Pacific that need to land. The Dec. 7 selection of Tinian International Airport followed an environmental impact statement to determine the best location to both support training exercises and to increase regional humanitarian assistance capabilities, according to a Pacific Air Forces release. Tinian was selected over other locations including Saipan International Airport, Saipan; Rota International Airport, Rota; and Guam International Airport, Guam. Tinian’s airport will now be built up to support cargo, tanker, and other similar aircraft, the release states.
The combination of an “unacceptable” eight-year delay, potentially billions of dollars in costs create a new logistics enterprise, and the need to prioritize a more advanced capability persuaded the Air Force to buy an additional 75 Boeing KC-46s, according to a new document.
