North Korea’s October launch over Japan showed increased payload, distance: exclusive analysis

North Korea’s October launch over Japan showed increased payload, distance: exclusive analysis
North Korea’s October launch over Japan showed increased payload, distance: exclusive analysis

In a new analysis, Ralph Savelsberg of the Netherlands Defence Academy warns that North Korea’s October launch demonstrated the ability to deliver an almost 20 percent greater payload into Guam.

Guam needs effective missile defense now, not in 2028

Guam needs effective missile defense now, not in 2028
Guam needs effective missile defense now, not in 2028

With China menacing, Guam is waiting for a defensive makeover. But the Heritage Foundation’s Brent Sadler says there’s a more immediate solution already at sea.

US homeland at risk from ‘garden-variety’ cruise missiles: CSIS

US homeland at risk from ‘garden-variety’ cruise missiles: CSIS
US homeland at risk from ‘garden-variety’ cruise missiles: CSIS

“It is high time to adapt our air and missile defense posture, policy and programs to the near-peer and to things other than ICBMs,” Tom Karako, co-author of the report, told Breaking Defense in an interview.

Chinese flights near Taiwan look like ‘rehearsal,’ US officials warn

Chinese flights near Taiwan look like ‘rehearsal,’ US officials warn
Chinese flights near Taiwan look like ‘rehearsal,’ US officials warn

The INDOPACOM chief also weighed in on whether Guam’s missile defense capabilities will be ready by fiscal year 2026.

House Appropriators Threaten To Cut Guam Missile Defense Funds

House Appropriators Threaten To Cut Guam Missile Defense Funds
House Appropriators Threaten To Cut Guam Missile Defense Funds

Overall, House Appropriators are looking at increasing procurement funding at the cost of research dollars.

Aegis Ashore Too Limited For Guam: Former INDO-PACOM Head

Aegis Ashore Too Limited For Guam: Former INDO-PACOM Head
Aegis Ashore Too Limited For Guam: Former INDO-PACOM Head

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is reportedly finishing its study of command and control architecture options to best defend Guam, the farthest outpost of our homeland. This new C2 system must have three features: an open architecture, the ability to bring different services’ radars and interceptors together, and disaggregation. Since leaving Indo-PACOM to pursue other…

Pentagon Weighs Guam Missile Defense  Money For 2022 Budget

Pentagon Weighs Guam Missile Defense  Money For 2022 Budget
Pentagon Weighs Guam Missile Defense Money For 2022 Budget

“There’s a need in the near-term to defend against all of those [Chinese missile] threats from a 360-degree standpoint, and if the answer is Aegis, I’m ready to support it,” the presumptive head of Indo-PACOM told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Coast Guard Deploying More Ships To Pacific, Arctic

Coast Guard Deploying More Ships To Pacific, Arctic
Coast Guard Deploying More Ships To Pacific, Arctic

The Coast Guard ships are “not ballistic missile shooters,” Adm. Karl Schultz said, “but you know not every place that you need a ship needs to have that BMD capability.” What his ships can do is “free up shooters to be the key places they need to be.”

Pacific Commander Warns China Likely To Move On Taiwan; Guam A Target

Pacific Commander Warns China Likely To Move On Taiwan; Guam A Target
Pacific Commander Warns China Likely To Move On Taiwan; Guam A Target

Taiwan may be targeted for annexation by 2027, Adm. Phil Davidson said, and Guam will have to be vigorously defended in a Pacific War.

Biden Taps Two Admirals To Face China Challenge

Biden Taps Two Admirals To Face China Challenge
Biden Taps Two Admirals To Face China Challenge

If confirmed by the Senate, Adm. John Aquilino and Vice Adm. Samuel Paparo will enter their jobs amidst increasing competition in fleet size, precision missiles, hacking, & espionage.

Trilateral Cope North Exercise To Test ‘Agile’ Air Ops On Austere Airfields

Trilateral Cope North Exercise To Test ‘Agile’ Air Ops On Austere Airfields
Trilateral Cope North Exercise To Test ‘Agile’ Air Ops On Austere Airfields

The Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept uses a ‘hub and spoke’ network of permanent, well-established ‘hubs’ and more remote, austere ‘spokes’,” says Air Force Brig. Gen. Jeremy Sloane, commander of the 36th Air Wing in Guam.

As US Military Moves Into Palau, China Watches Intently

As US Military Moves Into Palau, China Watches Intently
As US Military Moves Into Palau, China Watches Intently

In a recent meeting between the Navy Secretary and the president of Palau, the US signaled a commitment to “enhanced presence here and for more US Military activity in the future.”

PACOM Chief Warns Of Threat To Guam; China Presses Hard

“China has a profound advantage in ballistic missiles against the United States,” he said. “They also have a profound advantage in ground-launched cruise missiles. We have to get into that offensive force game as well.”

Support Swells For New Indo-Pacom Funding; Will Money Follow

Support Swells For New Indo-Pacom Funding; Will Money Follow
Support Swells For New Indo-Pacom Funding; Will Money Follow

The National Defense Strategy called the Indo-Pacific the DoD’s priority theater. “But all of us also recognize that strategy is budget and budget is strategy, and the budget numbers have not supported, to date, the Indo Pacific’s role as the primary theater.”