{"id":86411,"date":"2022-03-30T16:26:17","date_gmt":"2022-03-30T16:26:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/03\/30\/mdas-plan-to-protect-guam-relies-on-field-proven-systems\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:51:27","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:51:27","slug":"mdas-plan-to-protect-guam-relies-on-field-proven-systems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2022\/03\/30\/mdas-plan-to-protect-guam-relies-on-field-proven-systems\/","title":{"rendered":"MDA\u2019s plan to protect Guam relies on field-proven systems"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The Missile Defense Agency\u2019s initial plan<\/a> for the architecture to protect Guam turns to proven systems to help the agency meet a 2026 fielding deadline, according Vice Adm. Jon Hill, the agency\u2019s director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The defense of Guam from potential ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missile attacks has become a priority for the MDA, which is seeking $539 million in fiscal 2023 to continue to design and develop multiple-land based radar systems, procure weapon system components and initiate military construction planning and design activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCurrent forces are capable of defending Guam against today\u2019s North Korean ballistic missile threats,\u201d Dee Dee Martinez, the MDA\u2019s comptroller said in a March 28 Pentagon budget briefing. \u201cHowever, the regional threat to Guam, including from China, continues to rapidly evolve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In FY22, the agency, at the request of U.S Indo-Pacific Command, asked for $78.3 million to consider systems to support Guam and another $40 million to procure long-lead items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The idea was the agency would have a clearer sense of how to defend Guam<\/a> against missile threats by FY23 and would then pursue funding for architecture implementation, according to last year\u2019s budget briefing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In FY22, Congress ultimately provided an additional $80 million to accelerate the Guam architecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The architecture will not be a fixed missile defense site like Aegis Ashore in Romania and Poland, Hill said. \u201cThink of it as a distributed system.\u201d He added that the agency is interested in using mobile launchers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The architecture will include Navy SM-3 and SM-6 missiles, the Patriot air-and-missile defense system and the Army\u2019s Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System (THAAD)<\/a>. A THAAD battery has been operating on Guam since 2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those elements will be connected through the Army\u2019s Integrated Battle Command System, a command-and control-system that connects sensors and shooters on the battlefield. The agency will also use the Aegis weapon system\u2019s fire control capability, Hill said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPatriot [has] a fabulous capability for cruise missile defense, and that\u2019s our first focus area,\u201d Hill said. \u201cAnd we have the ability within Aegis to enable that, but, right now, we are doing ballistic missiles, hypersonic, on the Aegis part of that overall integrated architecture and then the cruise missile piece will be with the Army systems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t