SU-30SM, SU-35S, and SU-34 flying in formation - Sputnik International, 1920
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US House Panel Claims Guam Vulnerable to Chinese Missiles, Urges Pentagon to Boost Defenses

© US NavyThe aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) is moored pier side at Naval Base Guam May 15, 2020. Theodore Roosevelt's COVID-negative crew returned from quarantine beginning on April 29 and is making preparations to return to sea to continue their scheduled deployment to the Indo-Pacific.
The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) is moored pier side at Naval Base Guam May 15, 2020. Theodore Roosevelt's COVID-negative crew returned from quarantine beginning on April 29 and is making preparations to return to sea to continue their scheduled deployment to the Indo-Pacific. - Sputnik International, 1920, 13.11.2023
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party chair Mike Gallagher sent a letter on Monday requesting information from the US Defense Department on its efforts to bolster defenses on the island territory of Guam, citing its vulnerability to Chinese missile strikes.
"With over 20,000 US troops stationed on the island, Guam will play an essential role in the defense of American allies and interests in the region. But despite its strategic importance, Guam remains highly vulnerable to an increasingly sophisticated network of missiles from the People’s Republic of China, especially its cruise missiles," the letter, addressed to Army Secretary Christine Wormuth, said.
Guam lacks sufficient missile defense capabilities, endangering its use as a submarine port and support base in the event of a conflict with China, the letter stressed. Delays in the development of the Army’s new missile defense system, the Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 (IFPC Inc 2), could push its implementation back from the expected Fiscal Year 2026 fielding timeline, the letter stated.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley testifies before a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2022 for the Department of Defense in Washington on Thursday, June 17, 2021. - Sputnik International, 1920, 17.09.2023
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The committee believes in the need to explore alternative options to fill the defense gap, given the delays in the system, the letter said. The letter points toward National Advanced Surface to Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) as a potential alternative, but called Patriot Advanced Capability-3 systems an "unaffordable" option.
The letter requests that Wormuth provide lawmakers with an update on the development of the IFPC Inc 2 system, for which prototype launchers are set to be delivered by December. The letter also requests information on potential plans to procure NASAMS or other missile defense systems for Guam.
The committee requests that Wormuth respond to the letter by December 1.
Marine Corps Station Futenma, in Ginowan, Okinawa - Sputnik International, 1920, 13.09.2023
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