Japan Economic Newswire Tuesday , October 3, 2006
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 - (Kyodo) -- The U.S. military plans to triple its troops in Guam to 21,010 from the current 6,450 to make the island into the "hub" for its Western Pacific operations, according to a Guam posture plan recently compiled by the Pacific Command and obtained Tuesday.
But given time and other constraints for building facilities, the relocation of the "significant" number of 8,000 U.S. Marine Corps troops from Okinawa "will begin no earlier than 2010," says the 91-page unclassified portion of the Guam Integrated Military Development Plan.
The plan also says the command function will not be relocated from Okinawa until the final stage of the four-phased project.
Of the total troop level, the Marines will be increased to 9,700 from three as of March 31, 2005, including the 8,000 from Okinawa under a bilateral agreement earlier this year, it says.
A U.S. defense source said the remaining 1,700 troops are assumed to be moved from California. But he did not rule out a further relocation from Okinawa, saying a new accord is necessary if the United States wants to relocate more from there.
"So for now, the only definite number (for moving Marines to Guam) is the 8,000 from Okinawa," the source said.
The Hawaii-based command drew up the comprehensive plan in July to detail construction projects for necessary facilities and to provide feasibility and base planning guidelines in carrying out various force realignment initiatives.
The unclassified portion was distributed earlier this month to related concerns in Guam for explanations by the command's Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. Daniel Leaf, who spearheaded the drafting work.
The initiatives include the command's "Integrated Global Presence and Basing Strategy" and the road map agreed between Tokyo and Washington in May for implementing the realignment of the U.S. military presence in Japan, including the relocation of the 8,000 troops of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa to Guam by 2014.
The strategy involves four major elements:
-- Relocating the Marines' ground and air assets from various locations.
-- Creating a forward operating port in the U.S. territory for modern littoral warfare ships, combat logistics force ships, nuclear-powered and other submarines, surface combatants and high-speech transport vessels.
-- Continuing efforts to develop Air Force global intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and strike hub by deploying three "Global Hawk" unmanned spy planes, up to 12 mid-air refueling planes, up to 48 fighters and six bombers.
-- Developing and maintaining a robust Western Pacific logistics hub.
"The island of Guam is strategically located at the boundary between the Pacific Ocean and Philippine Sea within easy reach of some of the most important areas in Asia," the plan says.
The assessment echoes the 20-year defense strategy adopted in February by the U.S. Defense Department in its Quadrennial Defense Review report.
In the report, the Pentagon called for "greater Pacific presence" to deal not only with North Korea but also with China, which it said has "the greatest potential" to compete militarily with the United States, as well as terrorism and other instabilities in Southeast Asia.
Other planned troop increases are to 4,560 from 1,930 for the U.S. Air Force, to 5,600 from 4,350 for the U.S. Navy, to 630 from 30 for the U.S. Army, to 170 from 140 for the U.S. Coast Guard, and establishment of a 350-strong special operations forces troop.
As for the Marines, construction projects and relocation will come in four phases -- infantry battalions and some supporting units, ground combat headquarters and remaining supporting units along with some logistic support forces, air combat and remaining logistic support forces, and lastly the command elements, according the plan.
But the plan stresses the need to begin work on utility and transport infrastructure "as early as possible in the development timetable," and also cites constraints from environmental assessment which is expected to take at least 24 months to complete.
The unclassified portion does not include estimated costs, but highlights uncertainties as capacity and other problems "could inherently constrain the level of potential force relocation and base development on Guam."
But still, Japan has agreed to share $6.09 billion, or 59 percent, of the estimated $10.27 billion cost for facilities and infrastructure development in Guam for the Marines' relocation.
The relocated Marines will comprise 300 officers and 2,500 enlisted personnel for the command, 350 officers and 2,550 enlisted personnel for ground combat, 125 officers and 1,425 enlisted personnel for logistic support, and 250 officers and 2,150 enlisted personnel for air combat.
The plan calls for a littoral warfare training center in the Apra Harbor area for the Marines to promote exercises to enhance the interoperability with "regional host-country marine and maritime forces," apparently referring to joint operations with Japan's Self-Defense Forces.
But given the limited size of Guam, organizational training activities need to be conducted at other Marianna locations or elsewhere in region, it says.
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