US Navy Bolsters Submarine Force in Guam to Support Missions in Region

 

The US continues to focus on expanding its military presence in the Asia Pacific region with its eye on China

by Dave DeCamp 

Posted onApril 15, 2022CategoriesNewsTagsGuam

The US Navy now has five submarines homeported in Guam, up from two in November 2021, as the Pentagon is focused on increasing forces in the Asia Pacific region to counter China.

According to Defense News, Los Angeles fast-attack nuclear-powered submarines Springfield and Annapolis changed their homeport to Guam last month. The Springfield was previously based in Hawaii while the Annapolis was based in California. The fast-attack submarine Jefferson City moved from Hawaii to Guam in December.

While Guam is thousands of miles from the coast of China, the US military views the base as a vital asset in its strategy to counter Beijing in the region. From the base, the US can deploy warships to patrol the waters of the East and South China Seas.

The Pentagon says it has committed about $11 billion in funding for construction on Guam over the next five years. One of the main projects is to develop a missile defense system that US military officials say is necessary to defend the island from the Chinese military’s “evolving capabilities.”

In January, the US sent a message to China by docking the USS Nevada in Guam. The Nevada is an Ohio-class nuclear-powered submarine that carries 20 Trident ballistic missiles and dozens of nuclear warheads. It was the first time since 2016 that a ballistic missile submarine visited the base, and was only the second announced visit since the 1980s.

https://news.antiwar.com/2022/04/15/us-navy-bolsters-submarine-force-in-guam-to-support-missions-in-region/