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Runway construction headlines Team Osan’s key tasks

  • Published
  • 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  This is the second in a series of articles focusing on the 12 key tasks at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. The way Team Osan focuses on the 51st Fighter Wing's command priorities and guards the freedom of 51 million people will be explored this week through the first key task of runway construction. Concluding the series will be a wrap-up article with a video showing the comprehensive spectrum of how Team Osan works on the key tasks.

Over 9,000 feet of hard gravel, slabs of concrete, and construction equipment. This previously empty spot of land is being designed to feature as the second runway at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. A necessity in order to keep up with the base's circular operations tempo, this runway is going to increase and enhance Team Osan's ability to defend the base, execute combat operations, and sustain the force by alleviating pressure on the singularly existing airfield.

Not just a luxury, the building of a second runway came about due to the existing one going through the wear down expected of an airstrip that generates frequent sorties for exercise and non-exercise operations. The construction is a necessity for Team Osan to continue accomplishing its mission.

Multiple agencies and personnel from the United States and ROK are involved in the coordination of such an enormous task. Deeply involved in the 51st Civil Engineer Squadron, which works with the Far East District Army Corps of Engineers and local contractors to oversee progress. 

"The original airfield here was designed in 1953," said Mario Martinez, 51st CES project manager. "Constructing the second one means there will be two operational runways on base. There are a lot of elements that go into completing a project this big."

One of the perquisites to completing a second runway is increased operational capability.

"This is a large base, so we have a lot of flight operations," said Martinez. "With the amount of exercises and TDYs we have, this second runway is going to help better facilitate a high operations tempo."

Beginning in 2013, like any project of this magnitude, there are difficulties and challenges involved. Martinez said the best solution to the challenges they've faced is old-fashioned teamwork.

"Speaking with our local contractors and fellow engineers, communication, is the best way to overcome the challenges we've faced," he said.

And while the second runway is going to help enhance Team Osan's ability to sustain the force, its first accomplishment will be to provide much needed relief to the existing runway.

"Over the last 50 years our existing airfield has taken impact and we've been doing minor repairs to it, but we need to do heavy repairs as well," said Martinez.

As the project carries on, Martinez, who's scheduled to PCS before then, wishes he could be at the base to see the completion. And while constant turnover is a persistent challenge for most Airmen at Team Osan, he's confident his teammates, particularly local contractors, will ensure the job is done right.

"Working with the host nation has been a great experience," he said. "Since we have a high turnover rate we have to make sure the next person to fill in for us is going to be on point. We have daily inspections, continuous paperwork that needs to be updated. Keeping on schedule and consistency is important, and our Korean coworkers help us a lot with that."