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Cooperation between the Marines and the United States Navy is being strengthened. Pictured: A Navy F-35B squadron fighter jet takes off from the deck of the US Navy attack landing ship USS America – Photo: US Navy
Although not publicly recognized, the United States is taking steps to consolidate the second island chain and focus less on the first.
The historic visit by US Defense Secretary Mark Esper to Palau on August 28 reflects this, demonstrating the US strategy of reallocating military resources to Asia.
Firmly hold the second chain of islands
The first chain of islands originates from the southern tip of the island of Kyushu, traversing the islands of Okinawa and Luu Cau to the north of the island of Luzon in the Philippines.
The second island chain also begins in Japan but is far from mainland China, passing through the islands of Palau, Micronesia and Guam and ending in Indonesia. For the United States, these two island chains act as “cover” to prevent China from reaching the Pacific.
In the opposite direction, China uses the links of these two island chains as targets in its ballistic missile development programs. Beijing’s “anti-intrusion / anti-access” strategy (A2 / AD) aims to push US forces as far away from mainland China as possible.
In its annual reports to the US Congress, the Pentagon made no secret that Chinese ballistic missiles hit most bases in the first island chain, including bases in South Korea and Japan.
With a population of only a few tens of thousands of people, Palau is located about 1,200 km southwest of Guam and is expected to become a link in the second chain of islands.
The agreement between the two countries allowed the United States to establish military bases in Palau, in exchange for Palau citizens joining the US military.
Washington plans to place a long-range warning radar station in Palau by 2026, according to Admiral Philip Davidson, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command.
The range of Chinese missiles in Asia (distance from the coast of mainland China). Guam and Palau are completely within DF-26 range – Source: CSIS, US Department of Defense – Graphics: DUY LINH
Derek Grossman, senior defense analyst at RAND Research Institute (USA), said Esper’s visit showed that Washington was attaching increasing importance to the strategic and military importance of the Union countries. free association (COFA) including Palau, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.
“COFA gives the US military virtually unrestricted access to an area the size of the continental US. These islands are also in the second island chain and border Guam, where thousands of soldiers are located. US garrison.”
Grossman argues that if you want to predict US military strength and responsiveness.If there is a variable in the Taiwan Strait, the East Sea, or the East China Sea, look at the US forces in the second chain of islands.
Deterred by ambiguity
Exchange with Online youth, expert Nguyen el Phuong under the Center for International Studies (SCIS) in Ho Chi Minh City, notes on many measures showing that the United States is carrying out a strong reform of its forces.
The first is the army, according to Mr. The Phuong, thinking that the army must deal with two opponents at the same time is gradually being replaced by the point of focusing only on one opponent. Washington also resumed construction of new guided-missile frigates in place of destroyers and cruisers of more than 8,500 tons.
“After the Cold War, the role of such large warships was no longer relevant. Frigates and coastal combat ships proved most effective in waters close to China,” SCIS noted. The United States chose the FREMM-class frigate jointly developed by Italy and France in July, with the intention of purchasing 20 aircraft.
US B-2 strategic bomber – Photo: US AIRFORCE
As for the Marines, the new theory of this force aims to increase amphibious capacity and occupy islands and coastlines. “The United States wants to reduce the role of the Marines in land wars and focus on the most basic mission of this force, such as World War II,” The Phuong explained.
In the air force, the end of the regular strategic bomber presence on Guam was a strategic move.
Last week, Washington sent a B-2 stealth bomber to Diego Garcia, a small British island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The distance from Diego Garcia to the South China Sea is also the distance from Guam to this sea.
“America no longer wants to bow to my grandfather in this dust. America’s new deterrent lies in ambiguity. Continuous transmission of dispatch information from the plane to one base or another has two effects.
First, reassure allies who fear the United States will leave the region. Second, send a message to China that Washington is capable of deploying strategic bombers in the short term when necessary, “said the Phuong expert.
The rocket problem in Japan
There is still a lot of speculation as to whether the United States will deploy an offensive or defensive missile in Northeast Asia. According to observers, if we want to reduce the risk of bases in the second island chain, the United States should deploy missiles capable of shooting down Chinese ballistic missiles in the lift phase and prepare to enter the scene. 2 of flight paths.
Observers are waiting for some indication of the outcome of the meeting between US Defense Secretary Mark Esper and his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono in Guam last week.
United States – Japan discussed how to deal with China
