Guam Iron Dome

If we can’t defend Guam—the air base and the other things there—it’s really hard to project power into the Pacific.

Director of the Missile Defense Project, Tom Karako of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, on reports that the U.S. is trying out a new defense system in Guam.

• The Wall Street Journal reports the U.S. is testing a version of Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system in Guam, a U.S. territory, as a way to counter a growing threat from China.
• Guam is home to the U.S. military in the region – it’s an important strategic position in the Pacific.
• Separately, recent reports suggest China is testing hypersonic missile technology. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Milley (the nation’s highest-ranking military official), raised concerns in an interview about the speed of China’s efforts to increase its capabilities.
• Why It Matters: While the Iron Dome would not be effective against some of the most advanced missile technology available, it shows the U.S. has a heightened concern about China’s continued militarization.

U.S. Tests Israel’s Iron Dome in Guam as Defense Against Chinese Cruise Missiles

Top U.S. general calls China’s hypersonic weapon test very close to a ‘Sputnik moment’