The material in this article comes from the Internet, if it is inconsistent with the actual situation or there is infringement, please contact to delete.
Guam, located at the intersection of the Pacific Ocean, has always been an important strategic stronghold of the United States in the Asia-Pacific region. Not only that, but it is also regarded as a key support point for the United States to build a "second island chain" and firmly contain China. In order to improve combat readiness, the U.S. military has been taking a series of strengthening measures on Guam.
First, in order to enhance the sustained combat effectiveness of bombers, the US military expanded Guam, built a new apron that can accommodate 14 bombers, and greatly increased ammunition depots, reducing ammunition reloading time to only 2 hours. In addition, the U.S. Marine Corps is building a base that can accommodate 5,000 people for large-scale training, a project that is scheduled to be completed in nearly two years. In order to strengthen Guam's air defense capability, the US military also plans to deploy land-based air defense and anti-missile systems on the island, and even considers the fixed deployment of a number of retired "Ticonderoga-class" missile cruisers around Guam to enhance the island's ability to counter China's long-range missiles.
However, despite the great efforts of the US military on Guam, all this may not be able to withstand the onslaught of nature. Guam is located in the collision area between the Pacific Plate and the Philippine Plate, on the Pacific "typhoon corridor", and earthquakes and typhoons are frequent. Historically, Guam has often been plagued by earthquakes below magnitude 5, and although these earthquakes have limited impact on U.S. military bases, they pose a significant threat to U.S. Navy ammunition depots located in south-central part of the island.
Especially during the rainy season, Guam is more vulnerable to typhoons. Over the past few years, Guam has been hit by several super typhoons that have caused severe damage to infrastructure. In May 2023, Super Typhoon Mawa hit Guam, sweeping across the island with maximum winds of 225 kilometers per hour, causing a series of disasters such as flooding, water outages, and power cuts. The U.S. military base was not spared, and although the damage was small, it was still in a situation where it could not fight.
Although the U.S. military had taken evacuation measures to move warplanes and Navy ships out of the danger zone before Typhoon Mawa struck, Guam's military base will take a considerable amount of time to clean up and repair. This includes cleaning airstrips and repairing damaged radars, sensors and cables. Thus, despite the minor damage to the equipment, the combat capability of the base was significantly affected.
This series of events has demonstrated that Guam's special geographical location and vulnerability to natural disasters make it extremely vulnerable when war breaks out. A single super typhoon would be enough to paralyze Guam for weeks, preventing U.S. forces from entering the battle. In addition, there is the possibility of multiple typhoons, earthquakes and even tsunamis every year, which makes Guam potentially lose all or part of its combat capability for a certain period of time. In the context of war, the enemy may choose the moment when a natural disaster is hitting Guam, further weakening the US defenses.
In general, although Guam occupies a strategically important position, its geographical location and the reality of frequent natural disasters make it a destabilizing factor in the strategic planning of the United States military. Although the U.S. military has invested significant resources in the island, natural forces remain a challenge that cannot be ignored and needs to be considered and addressed in future military plans. After all, the outcome of a war often depends on a combination of factors, both man-made and natural.
The above content and materials are derived from the Internet, and the author of this article does not intend to target or allude to any real country, political system, organization, race, individual. The above does not mean that the author of this article endorses the laws, rules, opinions, behaviors in the article and is responsible for the authenticity of the relevant information. The author of this article is not responsible for any problems arising above or related to the above and does not assume any direct or indirect legal liability. Due to the rules of the platform, you will only be recognized as a fan if you have more interaction with me. If you like my article, you can click "Follow", and you can receive the article push as soon as you become an iron fan. This article is only published in today's headlines, please do not move.