Ascendant airpower

The Washington Times ^ | July 4, 2006 | Richard Halloran

[neverdem]

    The U.S. Air Force is surging ahead with plans to revitalize its bases on Guam from which to project power into the skies over the western Pacific and the islands and continent of Asia.

    Bombers are already stationed regularly at Andersen Air Force Base on rotation from the United States, as are aerial tankers essential to long range operations. A wing of 48 fighters is on the way. Perhaps most critical will be unmanned surveillance and intelligence aircraft known as Global Hawk that can remain on station for 24 hours at a range of 1,200 miles from base.

    Reconstruction of runways from which bombing runs were flown over Vietnam 35 years ago has started. A new hanger has been built and more are on the drawing board; they will be typhoon-proof so aircraft need not be flown out to escape the storms to which Guam is prone.

    Housing for air and base crews and support facilities must be built. Altogether, says Gen. Paul Hester, who commands the Pacific Air Forces from Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii, Air Force plans alone will cost "well over $ 2 billion."

    The Marine Corps, under a new U.S.-Japan agreement, will move 8,000 Marines including the III Marine Expeditionary Force headquarters and a brigade of combat troops from Okinawa to Guam. The Navy has based three attack submarines at Guam and plans to send two more. But the repair and maintenance facilities must be refurbished.

    To support this buildup, Guam's electrical grid, its roads and water and sewage systems need to be upgraded after years of neglect. Schools must be expanded. The bill for these plans will probably come close to $10 billion over 10 years.

    Guam has become a focus for U.S. military planners for three reasons:...

[neverdem]

SWIFT Deposits

Bush Signaling Shift in Stance on Immigration

This Common Cause Is No Progress I think big gov't pubbies aint gonna work.

Renewing our Declaration of Independence (Alan Keyes) IMHO, stump speech.

From time to time, I’ll ping on noteworthy articles about politics, foreign and military affairs. FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.

[rmlew]

Basically Guam will be an unsinkable, immovable Giant aircraft carrier. With Gooney Birds.
It is also a stationary target. A few cruise missles at the begining of a conflict could make our day difficult.

[sgtbono2002]

Thats true, but then a cruise missile could send the Reagan to the bottom also.

[Heatseeker]

Note somebody is NOT off to a good day at the office:

Lil' Kim stepped on his Blue Suede Shoes. ;)

[Heatseeker]

On the subject of carriers and other naval forces (and being a history buff) I'd love to see them order the USS Washington into the Pacific. So when Lil' Kim sends up the next missle, the JMSDF Kirishima can shoot it down, and the Washington's aircraft can pay some visits to the launching sites.

(Hint: Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. And yeah, I do know the WW2 Washington was named for the state and the modern carrier is named for the president... ;) )

[alarm rider]

Agreed.

[Criminal Number 18F]

Boy, this ia really gonna jack up Murtha's master plan for Iraq withdrawal.

(How does a guy get to be a colonel in anything, let alone Marines, without understanding that distances in Asia and the Pacific are LARGE?)

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[Quix]

With Gooney Birds.
- - -

And snakes. LOTS of snakes.

[Chode]

looks like he fell asleep under a sun lamp...

[IncredibleHulk]

You are very mistaken if you believe a cruise missile can hit and sink a carrier. That scenario has been considered and dealt with for decades.

Hulkster