Nearly 300 aircraft, over 600 troops in 25 locations for REFORPAC ’25

07/16/2025 - Edward C. Camacho, Special assistant to the governor for military affairs, said the CNMI will be front and center of Resolute Force Pacific 2025 as the U.S. Air Force launched its most expansive military exercise in the region last week.

The Commonwealth Bureau of Military Affairs official said nearly 300 aircraft and over 600 troops will conduct military exercise in about 25 locations on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota and their surrounding airspace during REFORPAC 2025 set from July 7 to Aug. 8, 2025. He also mentioned that partner nations will be involved.

Camacho added that Saipan military exercises started in earnest last July 7, followed by Tinian and Rota’s on July 9 and July 8, respectively, with Saipan exercises happening until Aug. 8, with both Tinian and Rota’s concluding on July 31.

He also relayed a message from Lt. Gen. Laura L. Lenderman, deputy commander, Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, when she recently briefed stakeholders in the CNMI.

“When she was out here, she did say something to the effect of these words. The goal is to integrate and experiment with logistics, sustainment, and enabling capability to bring Fifth Generation Fighters, command and control aircraft, and airlift and air refueling into the Western Pacific region at the speed and scale that has not been seen,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gov. Arnold I. Palacios warmly welcomed the U.S. military and forces from allied and partner nations as they commence REFORPAC 2025.

"It is with immense pride and gratitude that I extend a heartfelt welcome to the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces and our esteemed international partners who are gathering in our region for vital military exercises," said Palacios. "Their presence underscores a shared commitment to regional security, stability, and humanitarian cooperation."

Palacios said REFORPAC 2025 will go a long way in strengthening the bonds of alliance and partnership between the U.S and its allies, as well as ensure their collective ability to respond to any challenge and maintain peace in this vital part of the world.

"To the people of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, I ask that you join me in extending a warm welcome and unwavering support to our visiting service members," Palacios urged. "Let us show them the hospitality and appreciation for which the CNMI is known. Your support is crucial as they undertake this important training that contributes to the safety and security of our home and the wider Indo-Pacific."

Broken down, the Air Force will deploy over 500 Airmen on Saipan with two C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, four Black Hawk medium utility helicopters; approximately 115 Airmen on Tinian and six F-22 Raptor stealth fighter aircraft; and 25 personnel and two C-130 Hercules transport aircraft on Rota.

To make sure REFORPAC 2025 won’t be disruptive to the islands’ fragile ecosystems and way of life, Camacho said the Air Force assured stakeholders they will toe the line when it comes to mitigation processes.  

“We do have a lot of mitigations that have already been put in place, and we're doing our best to make sure that they are followed. The mitigations include not hindering any commercial flight operations. Our Customs and Biosecurity folks are out there doing their job. I want to go out and give them a shoutout because they're doing a lot of work in preventing invasive species from coming in, especially brown tree snakes and the coconut rhinoceros beetle. And then, of course, we have other mitigations to include mitigating spills, fuel spills, aircraft fires, and other accidents that could happen as a result of a major exercise like this,” said Camacho. 

REFORPAC 2025, he said, is vital to the United States and the region’s security, “because it showcases our air power and then it also showcases our ability to work with other countries as far as operational interoperability capabilities and as well as communications and maneuvering. So, all of these things do matter as far as the messaging to any other potential, to any potential [rival] in the region.”

Camacho then encouraged his fellow CNMI residents to welcome the military as they conduct over monthlong exercise in the Marianas.

“We don't get this often, and I want to applaud the business communities out there who are bending backwards to accommodate our visitors, especially at the hotels and the restaurants and all the other activities that they participate in downtown. And, you know, if a family's out there doing a barbecue on the beach and they see our airmen going by, invite them over and have a taste of our great barbecues, beach barbecue-type activities.”

45-day extension request of Revised DEIS

Asked to comment on a request made by four CNMI and Guam groups to have a 45-day extension on the comment period for the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Camacho essentially said that while he’s all for it, it’s not his decision to make. 

The Revised DEIS’ current 75-day review window for public comments on the Mariana Islands Training and Testing and CNMI Joint Military Training proposals began last June 6 and is scheduled to close on Aug. 20.

“I don't have any problem with an extension of the 45 days. Unfortunately, others might, and the others that might have that issue are beyond my level to make that decision. I can run it by them, see what they think, because personally, for me, the more people get the opportunity, the chance to view their concerns, then they'll have a lot more concerns viewed, which is a good thing, so that we could have a very well-informed EIS.”

As for lack of tangible economic activity on the proposed Air Force’s lease of Commonwealth Ports Authority property at the Benjamin Taisacan Manglona International Airport, Camacho said development always has its price.

“We only got one Rota. To preserve Rota, I'm all for it, but to develop Rota for an expansion of the airport, for example, I'm all for it also. Because it is, by the way, an international airport, but we don't have everything on Rota to make it an international airport. It's by name as an international airport, but it's not doing the things that it needs to be doing to become an international airport.”

Report by Mark Rabago