Breaking Defense:

The Pentagon recently announced plans to strengthen missile defenses on Guam in 2028. While the decision represents progress, there’s a problem: The defenses may arrive too late to protect the island from China. Experts have repeatedly warned that, in a war over Taiwan, Beijing would almost certainly attack this strategically important US territory, and China could make its move within the next five years.

What’s needed is a phased approach that bolsters the island’s defenses today, using capabilities already available, and upgrades them as new capabilities come online. Unfortunately, this is not the solution being pursued by President Joe Biden’s defense team. Rather than add to the island’s defenses in the near term, all hopes are being placed in a single company’s ability to deliver a host of new capabilities by around 2028.

Judging by its design requirements, the US Missile Defense Agency plans to rely heavily on the Aegis weapons system. This narrows the potential providers of the system to Lockheed Martin as the only firm with the technical experience with that particular system. Contractual obligations aside, as a practical matter the company will have to deliver on any contracted promises to defend Guam by 2027, when the danger of a Chinese military confrontation is believed greatest.

Click here to read the full story