Guam, August 11 - The U.S. Air Force has decided to cancel its proposal to station 12 Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) F-15SG fighter jets at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. This decision, formalized on July 16, 2025, by Acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Michael E. Saunders, marks the end of a defense initiative that began with a 2019 memorandum of understanding between Singapore’s Defense Minister Dr. Ng Eng Hen and then-U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper. The agreement aimed to establish a permanent RSAF fighter training detachment on Guam, strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing operational readiness in the Indo-Pacific region. Despite the cancellation of the aircraft deployment, the U.S. Air Force will proceed with extensive infrastructure upgrades at Andersen AFB, reflecting a complex interplay of strategic, environmental, and economic considerations.
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The original plan, announced in 2021 and revised in December 2023, involved bedding down 12 F-15SG aircraft, alongside 205 Singaporean personnel and 35 family members, starting in 2029. The detachment would have included periodic training events, bringing an additional 200 personnel to Guam twice yearly for four-week periods. This initiative was part of a broader effort to deepen U.S.-Singapore defense cooperation, building on Singapore’s existing military detachments in Arizona and Idaho, where RSAF F-16s, F-15SGs, and AH-64 Apache helicopters are stationed. The Guam deployment was intended to provide Singapore’s air force with access to vast training airspace, addressing the spatial constraints of Singapore’s domestic airspace and enabling realistic training to maintain combat readiness. Andersen AFB, located on the westernmost U.S. territory in the Pacific, was selected for its strategic position west of the International Date Line, offering a critical staging point for operations across the Indo-Pacific.
The decision to cancel the F-15SG beddown followed a comprehensive environmental impact statement completed in April 2025, which assessed the proposed infrastructure upgrades. The North Ramp project, spanning 192 acres, includes 96 acres of new facilities such as airfield pavements, an aircraft hangar, maintenance buildings, fuel systems, and utilities. Despite the cancellation, construction of this $1 billion-plus project will continue over the next three to seven years, designed to support other U.S. and allied aircraft operations. The environmental review highlighted significant adverse impacts on special-status species, necessitating a 151-acre forest enhancement area and coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The cancellation also eliminates the need for three earth-covered munitions storage magazines, reducing some environmental and logistical burdens.
While the U.S. Air Force has not publicly detailed the reasons for canceling the Singaporean component, the decision aligns with evolving strategic priorities in the Indo-Pacific, where the U.S. is adapting its basing and partnership arrangements. For Singapore, the cancellation necessitates alternative training arrangements for its F-15SG fleet, potentially leveraging existing partnerships with Australia, India, and Thailand. The infrastructure upgrades at Andersen AFB will still enhance the base’s capacity to support rotational deployments and exercises, ensuring its role as a pivotal hub for U.S. and allied forces. The project’s economic impact on Guam will be less than anticipated, with the loss of 240 permanent residents, though construction activities are expected to employ 500 workers and stimulate local procurement. Environmental mitigation measures, including archaeological monitoring and stormwater management, will accompany the ongoing construction, with a comprehensive mitigation plan due within 90 days of the decision. This development underscores the dynamic nature of military planning in a strategically vital region.