The Joint Region Marianas Commander Rear Admiral Bette Bolivar has told the governor of CNMI the US Air Force has not made a final decision on placing its divert airfield on Saipan.
The Governor Eloy Inos thanked the Rear Admiral for the assurance and said their talks have also given him the impression that any decision regarding the military's use of CNMI land will only be made at the highest levels of government.
The US Department of Defence is considering Saipan and Tinian as locations for a divert airfield in case Guam's Andersen Air Force Base in rendered inoperable due to attack or natural calamity.
CNMI officials are unified in their request to put the divert airfield on Tinian, where two-thirds of the island is already leased to the US Department of Defence.
The Department, however, wants it on Saipan.
Saipan airport, CNMI Photo: Free google search image
