Page 20: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (May 2023)

Eye on the Navy

U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Eric Uhden

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

GUAM’S DEFENSE POSTURE

IS GROWING

By Edward Lundquist ith the rise of China and her global ambitions, sponse cutters and an ocean-going buoy tender homeported the military importance of Guam in the Indo- there to support missions in Oceania. The Army established

Paci? c theater has become apparent. The a missile defense capability to protect the island following

Wforce levels on the island had drawn down threats by Kim Jong-un. The THAAD battery is expanding from a peak of about 26,000 at the height of the Vietnam War to include more sensors, interceptors and command and con- to a tenth of that—just 2,500 people in the early 2000s. To- trol capability to provide 360-degree protection for the island. day, that’s changing. Guam’s defense posture is growing. Anderson Air Force Base remains one of the largest military

Guam’s proximity to major population centers in East Asia air? elds in the theater and is ready to support surge operations underscores its strategic importance. The island is just 1,400 for bombers, logistics aircraft and ? ghters.

miles from Tokyo, Manilla or Port Moresby. While the Navy’s Ship Repair Facility at Guam has dimin-

All of the armed services have a presence on Guam. The ished since the end of the Cold War, the Naval Base at Apra

Coast Guard has upgraded its presence with the establishment Harbor still provides much needed logistics support for tran- of Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam, and now has four fast re- siting ships. And today a squadron of nuclear-powered attack

Image above: The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Spring? eld (SSN 761) departs Apra Harbor, Guam, Oct. 5. Spring? eld is one of ? ve submarines assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) 15. SUBRON 15 is responsible for providing training, material, and personnel readiness support to ? ve forward-deployed Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarines and is located at Polaris Point, Naval Base Guam. 20 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • May 2023

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