As the Department of Defense continues its “strategic shift” to the Indo-Pacific theater in an effort to confront increasing Chinese aggression, the US Navy plans to build 2,400 new family and unaccompanied housing units on Guam by 2032.
The new units will address issues with poor conditions at existing barracks and support a significant military build-up on the island. The build-up includes the continued enhancement of US Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Blaz, which was officially opened in 2023, and the fielding of a state-of-the-art missile defense system that comes with a significant manpower requirement.
Two-Phase Housing Program
The Navy will complete the project in two phases to provide more than 1,600 family housing units and 800 unaccompanied housing units by 2032. The first phase targets the construction of 917 family and 400 single units by June 2028.
The Navy seeks partnerships with developers for options including lease, lease-to-purchase, or purchase agreements to support a significant military buildup on the island.
The project is a response to existing sub-standard military housing conditions and aims to provide sufficient homes to both unaccompanied service members and those who will bring their families to Guam.
Secretary of the Navy John Phelan recently decided to open new barracks at MCB Camp Blaz in Guam ahead of schedule. His decision was in part prompted by dire conditions at the Palau Hall barracks facility at Andersen Air Base, the secretary said.
“I actually thought the buildings were condemned. When we pulled up to them and saw what shape they're in, I was shocked,” Phelan said.
The poor conditions at Andersen prompted worldwide inspections of Navy barracks, according to a May 5th email sent by Vice Admiral Scott Gray, who leads the Navy’s installation command. In the email, Gray described the Guam barracks conditions as “clearly neglected” and “unacceptable.”
Camp Blaz Continues to Grow
Upon its activation in October 2020, MCB Camp Blaz became the first new Marine Corps facility since the predecessor of Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany was commissioned in 1952. The base will house Marines relocated from installations in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, with the final relocation planned for 2025.
MCB Camp Blaz is named after native Guamian (known as Chamorros), Brigadier General Vicente T. "Ben" Blaz. General Blaz was the first person of an ethnic minority to reach flag rank in the USMC and the highest-ranking Chamorro ever. Blaz also served as Guam's delegate to Congress from 1985 to 1993.
The base officially opened on January 25, 2023. Approximately 5,000 Marines will eventually be stationed there.
New Guam Defense System Will Protect Military Assets on Island
The Guam Defense System (GDS) is a comprehensive, layered missile defense architecture designed to protect Guam's military assets and civilian population from ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missiles.
It integrates advanced sensors and weapon systems, including the Aegis Guam system, Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), and Patriot missiles, creating a 360-degree air defense perimeter around the island.
The GDS utilizes networked sensors, interceptors, and command and control systems to provide layered, all-aspect defense, with initial components expected to be operational by 2026.
This extensive system also comes with a significant construction and manpower bill. The project began this year and is expected to be completed by 2035 at a total cost between eight and ten billion dollars.
However, reports by oversight agencies, including the US Government Accountability Office, have highlighted challenges regarding logistics, maintenance facilities, and even basic infrastructure such as water supplies for the deployed personnel.
Guam Will Become a Lucrative Target
Guam’s missile defense build-up is closely tied to growing tensions between the US and China. The island is already a critical hub for US power projection in the Indo-Pacific and is about to become even more important. It is also within range of China’s DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missile, sometimes referred to as the “Guam Express.”
It’s also within range of China’s newer hypersonic weapons like the DF-27. Neutralizing Guam, with a significantly enlarged military presence, would be a big win for China in any major conflict scenario in the Pacific.
Therefore, establishment of the GDS is part of Washington’s broader Pacific Deterrence Initiative, aimed at reassuring allies, complicating Chinese military planning, and ensuring that US forces retain secure operational bases in the region.
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