USAF submits proposal to NMI ports authority
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| Pilots relax from the surge operations of USMC's Operation Geiger Fury in May 2012. | PHOTO BY Alexie Villegas Zotomayor / M.Variety |
USAF submits proposal to NMI ports authority
By Alexie Villegas Zotomayor
avz@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
THE U.S. Air Force has turned in its proposal to the
Commonwealth Ports Authority with regard to its planned exercise on Tinian next
month.
CPA Tinian Resident Director Joseph M. Mendiola told Variety
yesterday, “Yes they confirmed. They submitted their scope of work which is
being reviewed now by CPA executive director and FAA.”
He also said that the scope of work will also go through the
CPA board for approval.
Variety earlier reported that the U.S. Air Force had
indicated interest in holding an exercise on Tinian but on a smaller scale
compared to the recently concluded U.S. Marine Marine Aircraft Group-12, Marine
Wing Support Squadron – 171 expeditionary exercise Forager Fury 2012.
Mendiola said that based on the submitted scope, the U.S.
Air Force exercise Cope North slated for Feb. 5-7 “is mostly loading and
unloading of cargoes.”
“There will be an average of 10 flights a day,” said
Mendiola for the three-day exercise.
Asked how many U.S. Air Force personnel will be on the
ground, Mendiola said, “It comprises of 8-12 individuals who will be stationed
at the staging area.”
He said the activities will be mostly airlift and offloading
involving C-130 aircraft.
He also said that the Air Force personnel will be conducting
the exercise in the same area where Forager Fury 2012 was held last month.
“They will be stationed at the hot refueling area at the
west end of Taxiway A,” said Mendiola.
He also confirmed that based on the scope of work submitted,
there will be no refueling of aircraft on Tinian.
Last month, the Marines issued about 87,000 gallons of fuel
to about 27 aircraft.
Meanwhile, in release, the U.S. Air Force has confirmed the
staging of Cope North 2013 exercise at Andersen Air Force Base that will
involve the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, Japan Self-Defense Force and the Royal
Australian Air Force.
Variety learned that the exercise is set for Feb. 14-15.
“Cope North is the latest in a long-standing, multilateral
exercise designed to enhance each countries' air operations. Additionally, the
exercise includes humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training objectives
for the USAF, JASDF and RAAF,” said the release.
Close to 2,000 military personnel will be participating in
the said exercise.
“The U.S. will have approximately 1,000 participants, the
JASDF approximately 450 participants, and the RAAF approximately 300
participants,” the USAF release stated.
It added that the first week will consist of humanitarian
assistance and disaster relief training, along with air combat training and
air-to-ground weapons training. During the second part of the exercise, the
focus will shift to dissimilar air combat tactics, strike mission training, and
large force employment training.
The release also mentioned that the JASDF squadrons will
conduct surface attack training on the Farallon de Medinilla Range. “Since the
first Cope North exercise in 1978 at Misawa Air Base, Japan, thousands of
American and Japanese airmen have honed skills that are vital to maintaining a
high level of readiness.”
According to the U.S. Air Force, this will be the second
time that the Royal Australian Air Force will be joining the multilateral
exercise that “will further strengthen regional partner interoperability.”
They also confirmed that the Republic of Korea Air Force
will be sending representatives for the first time to observe the humanitarian
assistance and disaster relief portion of the training.
Now on its 84th year, Exercise Cope North is held
annually.
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