Air Force General Urges Warplanes Be Sent to Guam

Reuters ^ | Fri, Aug. 23, 2002 | Jim Wolf

[flamefront]

WASHINGTON - The general in charge of U.S. air forces in the Pacific said on Friday he was pressing to put bombers, fighters and other warplanes on the island of Guam amid U.S. concerns over China's growing military might.

Gen. William Begert, commander of Pacific Air Forces, said this should be a consequence of last year's long-term military planning document, the Quadrennial Defense Review, which looked in part at how to maintain a stable balance of power in Asia.

"I hope what it means is we'll get some force structure back into Guam -- a U.S. territory in that neighborhood that would be a great source of stability," said

Asked what this meant to him, Begert told reporters he hoped it would clear the way for a big buildup at Guam, three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines.

Guam's Anderson Air Force Base, which now serves mainly as a refueling stop, was "the most capable base the Air Force has with no airplanes," said the general, headquartered at Hickham Air Force Base, Hawaii.

He said he was involved in active discussions with Air Force colleagues about his request to bring in new radar-evading F-22 fighters being built by Lockheed Martin Corp., Boeing Co. 767 tankers and Boeing C-17 cargo and troop transports.

He said he was also seeking to base in Guam unspecified bombers and a future squadron of high-flying Global Hawk reconnaissance drones built by Northrop Grumman Corp. .

More jet fuel was stored at Anderson Air Force Base than anywhere else in the United States and its infrastructure was in "very good shape," Begert said.

VIETNAM WAR BASE

During the Vietnam War U.S. B-52 bombers flew from the island. Since then, the base played host in 1998 to two batwing B-2 Stealth bombers in their first sustained deployment overseas for training operations.

The Quadrennial Defense Review did not mention China by name but said the potential existed for "regional powers to develop sufficient capabilities to threaten stability in regions critical to U.S. interests."

"In particular, Asia is gradually emerging as a region susceptible to large-scale military competition," it said.

If this concern did not translate into a buildup on Guam, "then I'm not sure that there's anything tangible," Begert said. "We've got to modernize. We just have to if you're going to continue to be relevant."

In an update on China's military sent to Congress July 17, the Defense Department said Beijing was seeking "credible military options" to gain control of Taiwan, which it regards as a renegade province.

President Bush said in April last year the United States would use "whatever it took to help Taiwan defend herself," in effect sweeping away residual ambiguity about how far the United States would back the self-governing island of 23 million people.

[flamefront]

FYI

[flamefront]

indexing

[cynicom]

Guam also has a navy base, with nuclear sub accomadations. Might just as well move a B-52 wing forward, on a permanent basis. Sounds good to me.

[Grut]

Ah yes... fond memories of the dip in the runway at Anderson.

I remember standing on Sugar 97, next to the overrun, and watching a B52D go screaming by like the hammers of hell below me on the overrun, pop off the ground and drop over the edge of the 500 foot cliff at the end of the runway, to reappear a minute later as a smoke trail climbing slowly up from sea level....

[PhiKapMom]

Sounds good to me to base a B-52 squadon at Andersen! I am all for beefing up Air Force and Navy presence on Guam especially since we no longer have Clark AB or Subic Bay in the Philippines!

They use Andersen when they deploy B-52's to that region of the world so might as well station a squadron there!

[witnesstothefall]

Any Navy vets out there care to comment on the appropriateness of this officer's remarks being made outside the chain? Is he considered 'senior enough' to do so? Curious...

[11B3]

Why not move the entire WING (44 aircraft)of B-1Bs from South Dakota over there to Guam? There is no strategic need for them in that part of the country anymore, since it is unlikely that they will be flying over the pole to Russia as first envisioned. (If it comes to that, the Minuteman IIIs there will do the job.)

[11B3]

I forgot to mention what a nice gift that would be to Dasshole as well.

[operation clinton cleanup]

Now that Viet Nam is open for business, what about re-opening a base there?

[toddst]

I forgot to mention what a nice gift that (Moving the B1-B squadron to Guam)would be to Dasshole as well.

Well, adding that is a big plus! Now I'm all for it LOL!

[SSN558]

It happening in Guam. Barksdale canceled the airshow this year citing operational concerns. That usually means they don't want spies writing down the tail numbers and looking at operational readiness. It was 8th Air Force that had all the B52's TDY at Guam at the end of and after the Vietnam war.

An FBI guy I know is headed there next week. They have an office on Guam. Something to do with the recent demise of Abu whats his name.

[Ben Hecks]

"Ah yes... fond memories of the dip in the runway at Anderson."

LOL! I didn't realize that dip was famous......lots of landings/takeoffs on Guam but never got past the MAC terminal.

[sarasmom]

When did they move the B52s out of Anderson?

I swear, I turn my back for one minute...

No, seriously, I spent two years of my life in the early 80s there.Plenty of B52s on the flight line.

[Plutarch]

[cynicom]

Mom....

Close that base in South Dakota, move the wing to Guam, permanent, kill two birds with one stone. Daschle deserves that.

Also they would be several hours closer to any possible Pacific Rim action.

[cynicom]

Grut....

If you look over that cliff at the end of the runway, there are airplanes down there among the rocks.

In 1952, we went over it, lost an engine, full load of 500 pounders, lost a second engine on final. Laundry day.

[Davea]

Great move. Glad to know someone in his position understands the threat from the Chinese at this crucial time. And he does. Hope they get there ASAP before the Mideast thing pops...

[PhiKapMom]

That is a fantastic idea! I would support that in a heartbeat! Then tell daschle to take it and shove it!

[tanknetter]

Ugh. Anyone here remember (or remember reading about) what happened to the USAAC in the Philippines on December 8, 1942?

Putting that many assets onto one single base that's well within range of an enemy's ICBM capability is probably not a good idea. Chances are we won't get the type of dispersion we need overseas ... better to keep out aircraft at multiple locations in CONUS and deploy them out to Guam once we have a good idea that the place won't be turned into a smoking hole in the first minutes of a shooting war with the ChiComs.

Better yet ... put the money into more aircraft carriers and carrier airwings (scrapping the F/A-18E/F Hornet in favor of a Navalized F-22 variant). Yeah, interservice rivalry and budget constraints will prevent that from ever happening ... but one can always dream, right?