US missile agency scales back Guam defense plans

A projected multibillion-dollar rocket defence strategy for Guam has been reduced to 16 sites connected the land from the archetypal 22, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said successful a draught biology interaction connection connected Friday.

The task is designed to make "360 degree" extortion for the U.S. Pacific territory from rocket and aerial attacks of each kinds, the bureau said. Plans see integrating Raytheon's SM-6, SM-3 Block IIA, Lockheed Martin's THAAD, and the Patriot PAC-3, which uses components from some companies, implicit astir 10 years.

The biology interaction study, which began past twelvemonth and included a nationalist remark play this year, proposes "deploying and operating and maintaining a operation of integrated components for aerial and rocket defence positioned connected 16 sites" connected the island. The study does not accidental wherefore the fig of sites was reduced.

All of the remaining 16 sites are connected U.S. subject property.

The task is important to the U.S. and its Indo-Pacific allies due to the fact that it provides a logistical hub acold from U.S. shores - Guam is person to China than it is to Hawaii.

China's monolithic accepted ballistic rocket inventory includes the DF-26, with an estimated scope of astir 4,000 km (2,500 miles), which tin besides transportation anti-ship and atomic warheads. Newer weapons successful development, specified arsenic the hypersonic glide conveyance DF-27, are drafting accrued attraction from U.S. subject planners.

"It’s a guardant operating basal for long-range bombers, and a larboard for ships, truthful that navy ships tin sally distant from there," said Peter Layton, a defence and aviation adept astatine the Griffith Asia Institute successful Australia. "Certainly places successful Japan and the Philippines are a batch person (to China)... but a batch much exposed."

There volition beryllium nationalist meetings successful Guam adjacent period to sermon Friday's report, the bureau connection said.