US Pacific army chief wants Aegis Ashore defence system in Guam amid ‘threat’ from China
- Admiral Philip Davidson says the system needs to be operational within five years if the US is to stay ahead of its regional rivals’ technological advances
- His request comes just weeks after Tokyo cancelled plans to construct two of the anti-missile installations in Japan
“I will say that my No 1 priority and the most important action that we can take to rapidly and fully implement the National Defence Strategy as a first step is a 360-degree persistent and integrated air-defence capability in Guam,” Davidson said in an interview with National Defense magazine.
Describing Aegis Ashore as the “Homeland Defence System Guam”, Davidson said it would complement the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system that is presently deployed on the US island territory to protect Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam, centred on Apra Harbor.
North Korea threatened to carry out a missile attack against the island in the summer of 2017, warning that its ballistic missiles could travel 3,500km to deliver “enveloping fire” around Guam.
Of far greater concern, however, is China. Davidson said the 360-degree coverage was needed to help defend Guam given the “threat capability” manifesting from China in the future, “whether it’s ballistic missiles from the land, or whether it’s ballistic or cruise missiles from air and maritime platforms”.
Lance Gatling, a Tokyo-based aerospace and weapons analyst, said Guam’s geographical location made it an important base of operations for the US military in the western Pacific and, consequently, a critical target for Washington’s enemies should a conflict erupt in the region.