HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Guam’s important role in national defense, as a strategic hub for the U.S. military in Micronesia and beyond, was highlighted once again by a top regional Department of Defense official.
U.S. Navy Adm. John Aquilino, commander of Indo-Pacific Command, at an event last week hosted by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, touched on a host of issues occurring west of the international date line.
The group, according to its website, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research institute focusing on foreign policy and security.
Bradley Bowman, the foundation’s senior director, asked Aquilino about the part Guam plays in deterring aggression from America’s adversaries.
Aquilino responded in part, that “posture places” in Japan and South Korea are also important to “deliver deterrence” in the Indo-Pacific region.
“Guam is absolutely a strategic location. We will need to operate from Guam, we will need to both fight for and from Guam. And it will provide a variety of capabilities and support functions, should we end up in some crisis situation. So it’s extremely important,” he said, later adding: “It’s the homeland.”
Threats that could lead to an escalation of tensions could come from China, which has been undergoing its own massive buildup of military resources recently.
“We’ve got to protect the American citizens there, you’ve talked about its importance for contingency plans in — in the region. Yet our research tells us that there’s a growing Chinese missile threat to Guam,” Bowman continued. “And so I’d love to hear your thoughts on the nature of that growing Chinese missile threat to Guam and any sort of timelines that you can share in an unclassified conversation here.”
The admiral noted that China’s rocket forces are “clearly developing continuous advanced capabilities, longer-range (weapons),” which he tied to current efforts to shore up missile defense assets on the island.
“Guam has a 360-degree threat. So our ability to defend it and to be able to operate from there is absolutely critical,” Aquilino said. “I won’t have any timelines. I can see a continuous improvement and a continuous threat, and what that leads me to do is to move with a sense of urgency in order to provide the capabilities that both defend and we can project power from Guam.”
The Missile Defense Agency has been conducting site assessments on military-controlled properties on Guam, searching for suitable locations for various components that will achieve a “360-degree” missile defense capability for the island. These include command and control centers, locations for satellites and sites for live-fire intercept weapons.
Aquilino was asked what he saw as the “current primary deficiencies that need to be addressed” in Guam’s air and missile defense.
He responded that he’s “extremely encouraged” with the funding support found in the 2023 budget. The admiral reiterated his belief that a “phased approach and continuous improvement” make up his desired method to keep pace with regional threats.
“I’m encouraged that the (DOD) is working towards that architecture and the delivery of a capability as soon as possible,” he said.
Bowman then asked about long-term solutions for the island, and whether permanent basing of fifth-generation fighter jets is a part of additional Air Force assets from which Guam could benefit.
“I would envision that that capability is certainly — well, it’s certainly desirable, but we would like to get to that,” Aquilino said in response. “That ability to, like I said, operate in contested space, fifth-generation capabilities, whether they be F-22, F-35, are critically important to the ability to deliver deterrence.”
INDOPACOM is the nation’s oldest and largest combatant command and includes more than 380,000 soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen, the foundation said during the event.
“You know, the key here as we look at this pretty dangerous national security environment is I don’t think we can operate under a business-as-usual mindset,” Aquilino said to those in attendance.
U.S. Navy Adm. John Aquilino
