By Kris Osborn, Warrior President
(Washington DC) The USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group has arrived in Guam on a forward deployment to the Pacific theater, a development which places air-attack power projection capability within closer reach of the Philippines and Taiwanese airspace. While the arrival of the Strike Group in Guam may seem ordinary or somewhat routine on the surface, given that the US Navy regularly forward deploys carriers in the region, yet the Nimitz’s specific arrival in Guam invites speculation and raises significant questions about the US posture in the region.
The USS George Washington is the only permanently forward-based US Navy carrier in the Pacific, as it is stationed in Yokusuka, Japan, having a large, powerful Carrier Strike Group arrive in Guam positions US air-attack capability far more broadly across the region. The Guam coastline is roughly 1,900 miles from Shanghai, China and 1,400 miles from the Philippines, so a US Navy carrier stationed in Guam would enable the service to more quickly position maritime air power attack in the South Pacific in closer proximity to the Philippines, Taiwan, South China Sea and Chinese coastline.
The US Navy has not indicated that it is considering stationing or permanently “forward deploying” a Carrier Strike Group to Guam, yet the Pentagon continues to massively increase its military presence in the Pacific theater. US Navy Commanders arriving in Guam were clear that the Carrier Strike Group’s mere “presence” in the territory was extremely significant .
“The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group’s arrival in Guam highlights the island’s vital role as a strategic outpost in the Western Pacific—essential for projecting power, deterring adversaries, and responding to crises across the Indo-Pacific,” Rear Adm. Maximilian Clark, commander, Carrier Strike Group 11, said in a US Navy essay.
Carriers in Guam & Japan?
A carrier in Japan and in Guam could essentially “blanket” the Pacific theater with an ability to “blanket” or “bookend” the Pacific theater with sea-launched 5th-generation air power. Also, operating a US Navy Carrier Strike Group in closer proximity to the Philippines is quite significant, given that the US is now adding new military bases in the country. It would make sense if the US considered placing F-35As at some of its emerging military installations in the Philippines, so basing or stationing a carrier in Guam would massively amplify the US-allied ability to defend Taiwan or simply establish a strong deterrence posture.
Such a possibility would also make great sense given that the Pentagon has just recently sent more advanced missile defense technologies to Guam in a clear effort to protect valuable assets there. Given that the PRC is increasingly operating and building long-range anti-ship missiles and ballistic missiles capable of holding Guam at risk from 2,000 miles, it stands to reason that the US would want for fortify base protections on the US territory.
Osborn is President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
