US military ramps up drills amid growing friction with China
By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Guam can rest assured that the U.S. defense force can shield the island from any threats, an Air Force official said, noting that the airmen at Andersen Air Force Base are being prepared for their roles in "pacing" military operations.
The U.S. military has been beefing up its combat readiness on Guam, increasing its defense drills amid growing concerns over the possibility of a conflict in the Indo-Pacific region.
Naval Base Guam is gearing up for the Citadel Protect exercise next month, following the wrap-up of the U.S. Air Force's two-week operational readiness exercise called “Slingstone 24-4” at Andersen Air Force Base.
The 36th Wing Command at AAFB said Slingstone 24-4 tested the airmen’s speed and capability to complete certain tasks and respond to an emergency within a compressed time.
“If you guys could see the way this Wing operates through my eyes, your takeaway would be, ‘Hey, sleep well at night, you’re gonna be fine,’” Brig. Gen. Thomas Palenske, 36th Wing commander, said following the conclusion of the Slingstone exercise, which began in mid-October.
“Andersen Air Force Base is on the watch, and we got this,” he added.
Guam, a key component of the Pentagon’s Indo-Pacific region, faces growing threats from China. In the past weeks, the People’s Liberation Army has been displaying provocative actions such as the launch of a missile test over the Pacific Ocean and the deployment of forces around the waters of Taiwan.
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The Slingstone exercise drew up scenarios and simulated incidents that required the Air Force's swift response.
The airmen team, for example, repaired a bombed airfield in less than four and a half hours, set up 39 tent structures for incoming airmen barracks in less than two days, and simulated an emergency procurement of $2.1 million worth of contracts.
Other scenarios included a disaggregated Air Mobility Squadron supporting incoming aircraft; first responders attending to a simulated major accident with injured airmen and fire, which the team handled in less than two hours; and deploying a total weight of 1.8 million lbs. of cargo.
Officials said the drills have enabled the airmen to evaluate “their current capabilities and readiness and have made the correct tweaks and adjustments needed for Andersen to be more prepared to execute the pacing OPLAN, as well as be the bastion of Americans on American soil here in the Indo-Pacific.”
According to a press release from AAFB, more than 180 learning objectives across 27 units and 65 career fields were accomplished during the drills.
“The entire team used the last two weeks to make significant improvements, not only to their operations but in educating their airmen and preparing them for their roles in the pacing OPLAN,” Palenske said.
“By taking these challenges head-on, we have made a difference in our readiness,” he added. “Best part of my day is getting out and seeing the amazing folks that we have on our team. I’m literally amazed by the excellence of the airmen.”
On the other end of the island, the U.S. Naval Base is preparing for the force protection exercise, dubbed “Citadel Protect 2024,” which will be held from Nov. 4 to 8 in Apra Harbor, Polaris Point and other locations on the main base.
“This training enables Navy security forces to train and simultaneously assess mission readiness. The exercise series focuses on command, control and communications for missions requiring a coordinated response from both ashore and afloat units in response," the Navy said.
"The exercise involves various training scenarios that replicate real-world events and is designed to enhance the readiness of Navy security forces to respond to threats to installations and units," the Navy added.
While emphasizing that Citadel "is not in response to any specific threat, but is a regularly scheduled exercise," officials said the drill will "incorporate blank ammunition fire as part of the simulated attacks."
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