On the island of Tinian, which is part of the Northern Mariana Islands, will begin the rebuilding of West Field. According to Defense News, this decision is conditioned by the desire of the US command to concentrate its strength in the Indo-Pacific.
The US Air Force has concluded a contract for the construction of the Air Base on Shadani, which is a key element of Americans' strategic plans in the region. Fluor was responsible for this contract. The cost of the work is $ 409 million and expected that they will be completed within five years. This is due to the fact that the materials and labor on the island are much more expensive than in the continental part of the United States.
The Tinian Island was used by the United States to bombing Japan during World War II. The location of the air base is 3000 km from China and approximately 2400 km east of the Philippines made it strategically important. Currently, the place of the former runways has been captured by the jungle.
The US Indo-Pacific Command has long expressed a desire to restore the Air Base on Shadiga to distribute US forces in the region to complicate possible attacks. Recovery work began in January. It also indicates a change in the US strategic focus to opposition to Chinese threat. There is already another well -known base in the northern Mariana Islands - GUAM, located about 200 km south.
