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Miguel Jorge
WriterJournalist. I've spent more than half of my life writing about technology, science, and culture. Before landing here, I worked at Telefónica, Prisa, Globus Comunicación, Hipertextual, and Gizmodo. I'm part of Webedia's cross-section team.
Alba Mora
WriterAn established tech journalist, I entered the world of consumer tech by chance in 2018. In my writing and translating career, I've also covered a diverse range of topics, including entertainment, travel, science, and the economy.
In December, it was revealed that the U.S. had conducted an unusual test. In short, it fired a missile at itself to determine if it could neutralize it. This rare event took place on the island of Guam, one of the nation’s unincorporated territories. Due to its geographical location in the Pacific, this strategic enclave is considered a “nuclear” target. However, the country seems to have a backup plan if Guam isn’t available.
A strategic renaissance. Planet Labs is an American company that monitors global changes and developments through satellite imagery. It recently compiled a series of images that leave no doubt. From December 2023 to January 2025, the historic North Field on the island of Tinian underwent complete rehabilitation after being abandoned for more than 75 years.
The airfield was originally constructed during World War II to facilitate the Boeing B-29’s bombing raids on Japan, including the missions that dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. However, it’s now being rebuilt to play a crucial role in U.S. military strategy in the Indo-Pacific region.
Planet Labs’ satellite images show the process of restoring more than 20 million square feet of runways, taxiways, and other essential infrastructure. Inspired by Manhattan, the grid-like design is intended to complicate enemy attacks on the airstrip.
Tinian: a strategic location. Currently part of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Tinian is about 130 miles northeast of Guam, making it vital for supporting U.S. air operations in the Pacific. With the modernization of Tinian International Airport and the expansion of its facilities, the island now serves as a viable alternative in case Andersen Air Force Base in Guam is attacked or becomes inoperable.
Several projects are reportedly underway, including expanding runways and taxiways and adding new fuel depots at the island’s main port. According to outlet The Warzone, engineers are also constructing a large aircraft parking apron and upgrading infrastructure to support joint Navy and Air Force military operations.
Tinian is located to the left, with Guam directly south. Wake Island appears in the center, while Hawaii is marked on the right.
Historical significance. North Field isn’t just another location. It was the world’s largest airbase during World War II, featuring four runways nearly two miles long. The space was enough to accommodate more than 500 B-29 bombers and support a crew of around 40,000 personnel.
After the war, the base was abandoned in 1947 and remained inactive for many years. In the 2000s and 2010s, the Air Force conducted minor renovations to use one of the runways for austere terrain operations exercises. However, authorities didn’t decide to revitalize the entire base until 2023 as part of the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) strategy.
Agile Combat Employment: deterrence against China. The ACE doctrine emphasizes the Air Force’s ability to quickly and flexibly deploy forces to improvised or remote bases, which helps reduce their vulnerability to enemy attacks. The rehabilitation of North Field is a key part of this strategy. It enables military aircraft to operate from several locations rather than depending solely on fixed bases like Guam’s Andersen Air Force Base, which would likely be a primary target in a conflict with China.
Moreover, both the Navy and Air Force have implemented measures to disperse and conceal strategic assets, making it challenging for the enemy to plan and execute attacks. A recent report by the Hudson Institute highlighted that China could potentially disable entire bases with as few as 10 missiles armed with submunitions. This underscores the critical need for diversifying airfields to ensure operational survival in a high-intensity conflict.
Rehabilitation and bunkers. Some countries, like China, are fortifying their bases with hardened structures. However, the Air Force has chosen a different approach: making its bases more mobile and dispersed.
That said, U.S. experts are debating whether this strategy is the most effective response to a rival like China. The Asian nation has developed an arsenal of precision missiles that can target bases throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
Expanding versatility. The North Field modernization is key to enhancing military capabilities. This initiative will support the operation of aircraft with short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities, such as the Marine Corps’ F-35B. These aircraft can operate from improvised and remote runways, which increases the U.S. flexible strike capacity in the region.
The evaluation of electromagnetic aircraft launch systems at land bases is also underway. This would allow fighter aircraft to operate at airfields with shorter runways without requiring fixed carrier infrastructure.
Overall, the rehabilitation of the North Field base is expected to play a crucial role in Washington’s new military strategy in the Pacific. Restoring the base will provide greater operational flexibility and serve as a potential backup to Guam. It’ll also complicate enemy strike capabilities and reinforce the strategy of asset distribution in the region.
Images | Google Maps | Planet Labs
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