Image source: topwar.ru
The US Military Department is creating a special group to develop the architecture of the air and missile defense of American military facilities on the island of Guam in the Pacific Ocean. This is reported by the Defense News publication.
Earlier it became known that US Deputy Secretary of Defense for Procurement and Supply Bill LaPlante signed a document on the creation of the executive office of the joint Guam defense Systems project. The office will include representatives of all military services of the Pentagon. Money is already being distributed to finance the office.
In 2023, the American army was assigned the task of developing a plan for the implementation of the concept of air and missile defense of the island of Guam. One of the main tasks is to combine the air defense systems of the army and Navy into a single infrastructure in order to streamline management.
Image source: topwar.ru
The Pentagon has requested $1.5 billion to solve the tasks of strengthening air defense and missile defense facilities on the island. With this money, it is planned to improve the army's air defense, since previously the main focus was on financing air and naval forces in the Asia-Pacific region. The army is going to spend $638 million in 2024 only on sensors of air defense systems and the acquisition of Patriot air defense systems and a number of other anti-aircraft missile systems in order to deploy them on the island.
In turn, the US Navy is considering the possibility of providing technologies and capabilities of the Aegis system. It is also planned to install four AN/TPY-6 radars on the island.
It should be noted that steps to strengthen Guam's air and missile defenses are being taken against the background of growing tensions between the United States and China. Washington sees Beijing as the main potential adversary in the Asia-Pacific region. China's build-up of its missile potential poses certain risks to the American military presence in the Pacific Ocean. In the event of a conflict, Chinese missile strikes will also fall on bases on the island of Guam.