Andersen Air Force Base on the US island territory of Guam is taking on new significance in the Pacific, but most Air Force assets operating there will be on rotational tours and not on permanent assignment, reports Gen. Paul V. Hester, commander of Pacific Air Forces. The PACAF chief, in Orlando last week for AFA’s Air Warfare Symposium, told reporters that he expects that the only permanently based aircraft will be the Global Hawk unmanned surveillance aircraft. It is possible that a squadron of a dozen tankers would also permanently bed down on Andersen, said Hester, but that is more unlikely than likely. Other combat forces, such as fighters and the bombers that have routinely rotated to Guam in recent years, will continue to visit the island on a rotational basis. B-1Bs, B-2s, and B-52s all have spent time on the island in recent years.
While the Space Force is still making long-term plans to establish high-fidelity live and virtual test and training ranges in the coming years, officials say they're also working with operators to identify near-term gaps and quickly field capabilities to address them.
