Sizing Up America’s Military Footprint Around Asia Pacific
© AP Photo / Lee Jin-man
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In its quest to dominate the Pacific and ‘contain’ China’s clout, Washington has been beefing up its military buildup in the area, relying on both legacy regional allies and wooing a network of islands in the process.
The United States has started its partial transfer of US Marines from Okinawa in Japan to Guam under a 2012 deal to reduce the burden of American troop presence on the island.
Here’s a look at the expanded American military footprint across the Asia-Pacific region, as part of its efforts to counter China’s growing influence (based on open sources):
Japan: Approximately 53,700 US military personnel are stationed at around 85 air and naval facilities on Honshu, Kyushu, and Okinawa. Roughly 70% of the bases (32) are in the Okinawa Prefecture.
South Korea: Around 25,400 US troops are stationed across over 70 Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine bases, with the largest being Camp Humphreys.
The Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Oklahoma City (SSN 723) returns to U.S. Naval Base in Guam, Aug. 19, 2021.
© AP Photo / MC3 Naomi Johnson
Guam: Home to Joint Region Marianas, which combines Naval Base Guam and Andersen Air Force Base. The Aegis Guam System, integrated with the new AN/TPY-6 radar and Vertical Launching System, is part of an advanced air and missile defense system under construction.
The Philippines: The 2023 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement granted US forces rotational access to four new bases, in addition to the existing five.
Taiwan: Joint training programs have brought more US forces to Taiwan, which Beijing considers a breakaway province.
Australia: Darwin hosts an annual rotation of up to 2,500 American Marines. Additionally, Virginia-class attack submarines will form part of a rotational force at HMAS Stirling under the Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) agreement.
Papua New Guinea (PNG): A 2023 US-PNG security deal grants American forces access to PNG’s airfields and ports.
Fiji: The US and Fiji are working on agreements to allow the Pentagon to station troops and store military equipment in the South Pacific island nation.
12 January 2023, 17:54 GMT
