If
North Korea conducted a missile strike against Guam, it could have had
serious repercussions for the region, since the island hosts two of the
most fortified US military installations in the Pacific, Sputnik
contributor Andrei Kots writes, revealing what the most important US
overseas military bases are.
Pyongyang
has fulfilled preparations for a missile strike in the
direction of Guam, the North Korean embassy's charge d'affaires, Jin
Jong Hyop, revealed in an interview with Sputnik last Tuesday; according
to Sputnik contributor Andrei Kots, the target chosen by Pyongyang is
an especially significant one.
"One of the most powerful and fortified military bases of the Pentagon is located in Guam," Kots
writes. "Its destruction could dramatically change the balance of power in the region."
Guam Military Bases
Guam
is an island territory of the United States situated in Micronesia
in the western Pacific Ocean and home to two US major military
installations: the Andersen Air Force Base and the Naval Base Guam
located in Apra Harbor, a deepwater port on the western side of the
island.
The
journalist pointed out that the military facilities are regarded as the
Pentagon's main "muscles" in the Pacific region. The Andersen Air Force
Base houses long-range bombers and missile carrier aircraft capable
of delivering nuclear weapons.
B-1B Lancers at Anderson AIr Force Base in Guam
The
infrastructure of the air base allows the US Air Force to deploy
aircraft of any class, including modern B-52, B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit
strategic bombers, as well as fighter jets, Airborne Warning and Control
System (AWACS) aircraft and others.
According
to some reports, six B-1B aircraft are currently on station on Guam;
however, if necessary, the air group can be increased in a matter
of days, Kots noted.
"The
US Air Force is able to conduct missile and bomb strikes
against targets located along Eurasia's Pacific coast," the journalist
pointed out. "To date, the main potential target of [US] 'strategists'
located in Guam is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). But
they also may pose a potential threat to two major geopolitical players
in the region — Russia, and China."
© REUTERS/ SEAN M. CASTELLANO/COURTESY U.S. NAVY
For
its part, the Naval Base Guam is second only to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii
and remains one of two major US Navy facilities in the Pacific Ocean,
Kots remarked, adding that it is expected that up to 20,000 marines
from Japan's Okinawa will move to the Guam naval base in the future.
Although
there is no exact data regarding the number and types of US vessels
based at Apra Harbor, the US Navy reported in late October 2016 that the
ballistic missile submarine the USS Pennsylvania (SSBN 735) visited it
for a scheduled port visit on October 31. In addition, Los Angeles (SSN
688)-class fast attack submarines regularly patrol the region.
US Military Installations in Japan
However,
the Guam military base is not the Pentagon's only foothold in the
region aimed at keeping an eye on China, North Korea and Russia, the
journalist noted: mainland Japan and Okinawa are home to about 90
military facilities of the United States Forces Japan (USFJ) — an active
subordinate unified command of the United States Pacific Command
(USPACOM).
Kots
noted that Misawa Air Base located 425 mi (684 km) north of Tokyo
deserves special attention since it is one of a few foreign airfields
where the Americans station their advanced fifth-generation F-22 Raptor
fighters on a rotational basis.
"In
general, the number and composition of military bases of the US Army,
Air Force and the Navy in Japan indicate that the Pentagon views this
country as a possible foothold for a potential military standoff
with China, Russia and North Korea," the journalist surmised.
But
that is not all, the journalist notes: if one were to take a look
at the largest US overseas military installations one would find
out that one of them is located in Germany and another is situated
in Qatar, to maintain control over the European theater and the Middle
East, respectively.
Ramstein Air Base
Kots
pointed out that the Ramstein Air Base, in Rhineland-Palatinate,
Germany, which serves as a headquarters for the United States Air Forces
in Europe and a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) installation
is the largest US military base in the European Union.
"It
is also home to 16 squadrons of military transport aircraft of the 86th
Airlift Wing (86 AW)," the journalist wrote. "It is here where [US]
troops and equipment are being dispatched to, to take part in countless
joint military exercises in Eastern Europe and the Baltic region
with their NATO allies."
© AP PHOTO/
The US and German flags fly behind a sign at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
In addition, up to 150 nuclear weapons are stockpiled at this base, Korts highlighted.
According
to the journalist, the Ramstein Air Base would be used as a transit
point for US-NATO troops and equipment and, possibly, a jump-up base
for US strategic bombers in the event of a hypothetical conflict
between Russia and the Western military bloc.
Al Udeid Air Base
Last
but not least, the Al Udeid Air Base — a military base southwest
of Doha, Qatar — is regarded as the most important US foothold in the
Middle East. The United States Central Command and Air Forces Central
Command are also residing there.
Back
in the 2000s, thousands of US troops, as well as 300 Abrams tanks, 400
Bradley Fighting Vehicles (BFV), self-propelled artillery and Patriot
air defense systems, were deployed at the base, the journalist noted.
© REUTERS/ U.S. AIR FORCE/TECH. SGT. TERRICA Y. JONES
U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber arrives at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar (File)
More
importantly, the Al Udeid Air Base boasts a 4,000-meter landing strip
that could accept any type of aircraft, he underscored, adding that
besides military transport aviation and refuelers, RC-135V/W Rivet Joint
reconnaissance aircraft, EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft, US
jet fighters, bombers and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are also based
there.
"The
Al Udeid Air Base is of the greatest importance among the other 35 US
military facilities in the region," Kots emphasized. "It is from here
that the actions of the US-led anti-terrorist coalition in Syria and
Iraq are being coordinated from."
Previously,
the base played a significant role in the Pentagon's large-scale
military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently, about 10,000 US
troops are stationed in Al Udeid.
In this houston military bases by state website everything related to that are found.Like the US Army controls an arms depot in central Texas. Just north of San Antonio, Camp Stanley (CSSA) is a storage activity center once called Camp Funston.
ReplyDelete