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.
It was a huge mistake to concentrate so many ships in Honolulu in 1941. It probably allows Hawaiians to breath a little easier, knowing that they likely won’t be the first target of the next war. But I think I’d be moving somewhere else if I lived on Guam.
I am almost certain that if China tried a similar tactic in our region, we’d nuke their asses to kingdom come!
Also, for eleven billion dollars, we should be able to buy Guam!
With no wish to offend anyone, the first order of business would have to be a name change for Guam… Guam sounds like something that gets squeezed out of the back end of a goose…
Ha! Your assessment of the name of Guam made me laugh out loud!
I have to be honest, I make jokes when I am nervous and I am very nervous about how the situation between the US/NATO and China is developing….
I am nervous about Biden making war overtures at Russia and China, threatening friendly nations for continuing to do business with Russia and China. The man has gone full Strangelove.
Trying to scare China into submission.
More petty harassment of the Chinese.
Actually the Chinese are doing a pretty good job of defeating themselves with zero COVID.
Submarines are just icing on the cake.