The third so-called ABMS on ramp — a live experiment and demonstration — is taking place in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility, from September 15 to 25, an Air Force official confirmed to Defense One on background.

Guam “is a critical nexus for our command and control, for our sustainment, for our logistics, and for our power projection”, INDOPACOM commander Adm. Phil Davidson said on Thursday.

Davidson has been vocal about wanting to bring an Aegis Ashore anti-missile system to the island, as part of a drive to establish a “360-degree persistent air and missile defense capability on Guam in the near term.”

On Thursday, the admiral argued that the island would be an essential first destination to test and then deploy new JADC2 gear as it evolves. “An integrated capability will extend forward to support maneuvering forces, as well, from Guam; be they Army, Air Force, Navy or Marine. This will help improve the maneuver capability and the fires capability of those terrestrial forces. It’s all within our near-term reach, in my view,” he said.

And it can’t arrive soon enough, in Davidson’s view. He expects Guam to be an early target in a major confrontation. An integrated defense solution would be essential to deny “the adversary the ability to quickly, cheaply, and easily knock us out of a fight before it begins,” he said…

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