US Air Force 'restores' old WWII airfield for potential conflict with China

tinian - During World War II, the Americans used the island of Tinian to bomb Japan. Now, the old airfield is being reactivated for a potential conflict with China.

In the summer of 1944, Tinian was captured from the Japanese by the US Marine Corps after a bloody battle. The Americans planned to use the island as a base to bomb Japan. By early 1945, two airfields, North Field and West Field, were completed, allowing B-29 Superfortress bombers to take off and land. The first B-29s took off from Tinian to bomb Japan. In August of the same year, Tinian was also the launch site for the Little Boy and Fat Man atomic bombs bound for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After the war, West Field became a civilian airport, while North Field fell into disuse.

Recent satellite imagery shows new concrete on the runways of North Field. The Pentagon confirms that the work to reactivate the airfield is progressing well. The improvements are aimed at increasing the airport's capacity for both routine and special operations. West Field will also be modified to serve as a backup base if needed.

Tinian is not the only American air base in the Marianas archipelago. Guam, located about 150 kilometers south of Tinian, already hosts a large US airbase.