SINGAPORE — U.S. Andersen Air Force Base in Guam is set to open its doors to half of Singapore’s F-15 squadron as the country looks to increase its combat readiness.
The move to concentrate air combat capabilities at remote American facilities on the edge of the Philippine Sea is part of the U.S. Air Force’s proposed modernization plan.
North Korea has repeatedly threatened to attack the small island over the past few years, including in 2017 when U.S. bombers took off from the island to patrol the skies of its ally South Korea. Ta.
“Andersen Air Force Base is a strategic hub used to project air power and extend combat capabilities from the front edge of the Indo-Pacific. Our objective is to further strengthen the resources at this location.” A spokesperson for the U.S. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) told Defense News. Email.
“The purpose of the proposed action is to provide critical infrastructure that strengthens the United States’ posture west of the International Date Line,” the statement said.
The Singapore-related upgrades will involve bed-down and mission support for up to 12 Singapore-built F-15SG aircraft, a variant of Boeing’s F-15 Strike Eagle, and plans to provide training facilities for pilots.
As detailed in a December U.S. Air Force statement, the changes will also increase airfields and military infrastructure to address capability gaps and enhance the way ground operations are conducted. Construction is expected to affect 209 acres and take place over a period of three to seven years.
At this time, it has not been determined when construction will begin. The Guam base is one of 10 bases under PACAF’s jurisdiction and the only base in the Western Pacific capable of continuous inspection of American heavy bombers.
Guam was selected by the U.S. Air Force for this project because it is known to have relatively unrestricted airspace and is considered critical by analysts in the event of military action by North Korea. It is highly likely that
In addition, the island is near Farallon de Medinilla, a 2.8 km (1.75 mile) uninhabited island used as Andersen’s bombing range.
The U.S. Air Force “reviewed strategic capability requirements within the Indo-Pacific region, identified Andersen Air Force Base for capability enhancement, and considered five other potential replacement locations within the Pacific Air Forces area of responsibility.” ,” the PACAF statement said.
Singapore signed an initial $1.6 billion contract with Boeing for 12 F-15SG fighter jets in 2005, and has since ordered 12 more, bringing its fleet to at least 24 jets. .
“The F-15SG remains an important part of our nation’s fighter fleet. It has served us well since 2009 and is expected to continue to meet our operational needs. ” said Major General Kelvin Kong, Commander of the Republic of Singapore Air Force. , or the RSAF, said in a statement ahead of the Singapore Air Show, which will be held here from February 20 to 25.
The RSAF has also been operating F-16s for several years, as the city government plans to retire the F-16s after mid-2030 and will soon receive its first F-35B from Lockheed Martin. Mid-term renovations began in 2016.
“RSAF’s next-generation aircraft will consist of the F-35 and F-15SG, with the first four F-35Bs to be delivered by 2026 and the remaining eight in the following years.” said Cohn.
The official added that the first F-35 pilots will begin training in the United States to strengthen cooperation between the two countries’ fleets.
Elizabeth Gosselin Maro is Defense News’ Europe correspondent. She covers a wide range of topics related to military procurement and international security, and specializes in aviation reporting. She is based in Milan, Italy.