US Air Force Plans $400 Million Upgrade for Pacific Island Airport to Enhance Military Operations

Defense News ,U.S :- The US Air Force wants to make big changes to an airport on a small island in the Pacific Ocean. They plan to spend $400 million to upgrade it so that military planes can use it.

This plan starts with an initial investment of $96 million. This money is part of the budget request for 2025. The plan includes making the Yap International Airport runway longer. They also want to improve where planes can park and how they get to the runway.

The Upgrade Plan

If everything goes according to plan, construction will begin in August 2025.

The documents say that they need a longer and safer runway. This is important for bigger planes to land and take off safely. These planes will be used for training, operations, and helping people in need. The extended runway will allow bigger planes to land and take off quickly and safely.

The goal is to have a runway that can handle more planes. This is important for setting up bases quickly in different places. The upgrade is part of a bigger plan called Agile Combat Employment. This plan wants to have smaller bases in more places because it's harder to use big bases now.

Changes Over Time

During World War II, the US Air Force had 93 air bases. Now, they have only 33 overseas bases. That's a decrease of 65 percent.

The Pacific Islands Upgrade

Yap is part of the Federated States of Micronesia. It's a small island, about 100 square kilometers. It's located between Guam and Palau, about 1,000 miles southeast of China.

The US Air Force has already spent a lot of money on making airports better in places like Guam and Tinian. They also helped build a basic airstrip in Palau.

Yap Airport is seen as an important place for planes to stop during long flights. But right now, the runway isn't long enough for military planes. It also doesn't have some important facilities that military planes need.

The US Air Force wants to upgrade Yap Island Airport to make it better for military planes. They plan to spend $400 million on this project. This includes making the runway longer and adding facilities that military planes need. This upgrade is part of a bigger plan to have more bases in more places. It's important for the US Air Force to be able to move quickly and set up bases where they're needed most.