• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Pentagon considers deployment of warplanes on Guam

PLA Daily 2004-01-14

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- The Pentagon is considering an Air Force proposal to base warplanes on Guam because of its "very, very important strategic location," a senior Air Force commander said Tuesday.

General William Begert, commander of US air forces in the Pacific, said at a Pentagon briefing that discussions were underway about stationing on the Pacific island a fighter wing as well as refueling aircraft and the unmanned Global Hawk reconnaissance plane.

There are also two shelters for the B-2 long-range stealth bomber, he said.

"The geography of Guam is such that it's a very, very important strategic location in the Pacific," Begert said. "And so the ability to project force from Guam is very valuable to us."

The westernmost US territory, Guam lies about 1,500 miles (2,400 km) from eastern and northeastern Asia, including the Korean Peninsula.

The United States ceased basing warplanes on Guam after the endof the Cold War, but the island has been used as a hub for long-range bombers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The US Navy moved two attack submarines to the island in 2002 and a third is scheduled to be based there this year.

"It's an active proposal," Begert said, "People have talked quite openly, not just me, about the importance of doing that." But he said no final decision had been made.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld visited Guam in November to take a look at facilities on the island, including Andersen Air Force Base and Navy installations.