Military exercises to take place on Saipan, Rota, Tinian

The Commonwealth Ports Authority advises the public that military exercises will be conducted on the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota throughout February 2023.

The exercise being conducted is Cope North 2023, which is a Pacific Air Forces-funded multilateral filed training exercise. The Pacific Air Forces is a major command of the United States that supports the objectives of the United States Indo-Pacific Command. PACAF, in coordination with other components, allies, and partners, provides USINDOPACOM with continuous air, space, and cyberspace capabilities to ensure regional stability and security.

The Cope North 2023 exercise includes a focus on emphasizing the exchange and execution of tactics, techniques, and procedures, while enhancing the interoperability among assets, in a variety of missions. These assets include U.S. components, as well as the Japan Air Self Defense Force, and the Royal Australian Air Force. The military exercise also serves as an opportunity to train for humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and contingency response scenarios.

File photo shows a U.S. Air Force C-130H Hercules flying over North Field, Tinian, Marianna Islands, during Cope North 15 last Feb. 26, 2015. North Field served as the World War II headquarters for the 509th Composite Group that launched the atomic bomb attacks against Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in August of 1945. U.S. AIR FORCE/ TECH. SGT. JASON ROBERTSON

The tri-lateral force envisions providing aid in the case of a natural disaster by establishing a “hub” outside of the area of impact where resources can be distributed to “spokes” that are established within the area of impact. In the exercise scenario, participants have determined that Guam will be used as the “hub” location and Saipan, Tinian, and Rota will be optimal “spoke” airfields to accommodate contingency response objectives. The primary goal of the exercise is to strengthen interoperability while developing the capability of the agile employment of forces to be utilized to assist operations during actual disasters and contingency operations.

The public can expect to see military training operations at all CNMI airports and the Jose P. San Nicolas Commercial Port of Tinian throughout the month of February and early March 2023. A public hearing is scheduled today, Feb. 7, 2023, on Saipan, Tinian and Rota. The public hearing on Saipan is at 9am in the ARFF Classroom at the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport; the public hearing on Tinian is at 11:30am at the Tinian Youth Center; and the public hearing on Rota is at 4pm at the Benjamin Taisacan Manglona International Airport’s Departure Terminal. 

For more information, contact the Commonwealth Bureau of Military Affairs at (670) 488-0220 or Joint Region Marianas Public Affairs Office at (671) 349-4055/3209 or email them at CJRMPAO@fe.navy.mil. (CPA)