Summary US Air Force developing dispersed bases in the Pacific to counter China's threats. Air Force practicing ACE concept through exercises like Bamboo Eagle. Chinese strikes on US bases in the Pacific could impact US intervention capabilities.
The US Air Force is working to create a network of dispersed bases and airfields from Australia to Japan in case of war with China . Since the beginning of organized war, tactics and strategies have been changing. Those who do not adapt are destined to lose, which remains true today.
For years, the United States has enjoyed unrivaled dominance in the air, and while it still does to a large extent, aircraft parked on the ground are little more than sitting ducks. The United States no longer feels its forward-deployed airbases are safe in the Pacific . Air Force planning to operate from dispersed bases Developments in drone and missile technology are increasingly putting US airbases at threat of attack.
This raises the prospect of many F-35s being destroyed on the ground in their airbases in Guam, Japan, and elsewhere. Numerous think tanks have been running war games of a potential war with China and have been highlighting these risks to the United States for years. Chinese strikes on US bases would have a major impact on the US's ability to intervene in any invasion of Taiwan in a timely manner.
In response to the growing threat, the US is developing a concept called Agile Combat Employment. With ACE, the US Air Force would spread out its air operations to various smaller operating locations in the region. “I would feel more confident if we had a more robust active base defense.
.. It [exercise Bamboo Eagle] was really fascinating, and I think it gave me some more encouragement that we are on the right path,” Allvin said.
“We have a long way to go, but we’re exercising, we’re developing facilities and infrastructure to be able to support larger-scale mission readiness, [and] we are putting our wings together to be able to command and control and align for this type of readiness.” - Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin The Air Force is currently fine-tuning how ACE will work in practice, with exercises like Bamboo Eagle training the Air Force to operate from scattered bases around the country.
Defense News reported that the Air Force wants a “ more robust active base defense .” Three US B-2 Spirit bombers have arrived in Australia as part of a Bomber Task Force deployment and increased US involvement in the region. Air Force planning war in the Pacific The US has been actively certifying more bases in the region for hot pit refueling (refueling aircraft while the engines are running to speed up turnaround times).
The US is also increasing its presence in Australia's Tindal Air Base in northern Australia. Having more bases in more countries in the region poses a dilemma for China. If China were to choose to attack US bases in Australia, Japan, and other countries, then it risks also dragging those countries into the war.
It should be noted just because a military is preparing for war does not mean the war is coming. As a forgotten detail of history, after WW1, tensions rose between the US and the British Empire. The US devised "War Plan Red" to plan for a war with the British Empire, while the Canadians (as part of the British Empire) planned a preemptive strike on the US called "Defense Scheme No.
1.".
