Guam, missiles and missile defense top INDOPACOM commander’s funding priorities March 9 This Dec. 10, 2018, file photo, shows the launch of the U.S. military s land-based Aegis missile defense testing system, that later intercepted an intermediate range ballistic missile, from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. (Mark Wright/Missile Defense Agency via AP) The outgoing head of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command laid out key reasons why increased funding for the region is key to counter China, an adversary he said could achieve overmatch within the next five years, far ahead of past predictions. Adm. Philp Davidson stressed the importance of the funding to largely supportive members of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. He asked senators to fully fund the requested $4.68 billion for the Pacific Defense Initiative, more than double the $2.2 billion approved in last year’s annual defense spending bill.
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While the U.S. presidential election was garnering much of the world s attention, another acrimonious election was roiling the Pacific, causing the entire Micronesian bloc of nations to exit the region s leading policy-making body, the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). This is an opportune time to re-think the PIF and possibly realign Pacific regional architecture in preparation for future challenges.
The Republic of Palau left the Forum on February 5, followed three days later by the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Nauru, and Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). That all five countries chose to leave the PIF was an act of remarkable Micronesian solidarity. The immediate reason for their departure was the February 4 election of a non-Micronesian as the PIF s new secretary-general.
The nominee for the number-two civilian job in the Pentagon told a Senate panel on Tuesday the Navy’s proposed long-term shipbuilding plan would “require future analysis to validate the numbers.” Before that work could kick-off, Kathleen Hicks said during her confirmation hearing to serve as deputy defense secretary that she would want to have a […]