The U.S. and its allies are sending China a message with a series of exercises aimed at showing how they can work together with a series of exercises.
Last month, U.S., United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, and France parked an air armada of 23 planes at Andersen Air Force Base in the U.S. territory of Guam.
The exercise was part of the annual Exercise Mobility Guardian, biennial training maneuver that has taken place since 2017.
The aircraft participating in the elephant walk of allied aircraft at the base included the following.
U.S. Air Force aircraft included:
-Five F-35 fighters from the 419th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah
-One B-52 bomber from the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, La.
-Two KC-135 tankers from the 92nd Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash.
-Two C-17 transports from the 60th Air Mobility Wing at Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
-One C-130 from the 19th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
Joining in from the allies were:
-France: Four Rafale fighters, one A400 Atlas transport aircraft, and one A330 MRTT from the French Air and Space Force
-United Kingdom: One A400 Atlas from the Royal Air Force
-Canada: One C-130J and one CC-150T Polaris from the Royal Canadian Air Force
-Japan: One C-130H from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force
-Australia: One C-130J from the Royal Australian Air Force
B-52s were parked nearby.
The aircraft participated in a series of exercises to practice airlift, aerial refueling, aeromedical evacuation, command and control, and disaster assistance among other capabilities.
“It should be evident by now that success of the Joint Force requires a capable and integrated Mobility Air Force [MAF],” said Gen. Mike Minihan, AMC commander. “MG23 will turn planned integration into operational integration within the theater, stretching MAF capabilities to meet future demands and, protect shared international interests with our Allies and partners.”
Minihan Warns War With China Likely in 2025
Minihan previously raised eyebrows earlier this year when he predicted that conflict with China would happen sooner rather than later.
“My gut tells me we will fight in 2025. Xi has secured his term and set his war council in October 2022. Taiwan’s presidential elections are in 2024 and will offer Xi a reason. United States’ presidential elections are in 2024 and will offer Xi a distracted America. Xi’s team, reason, and opportunity are aligned for 2025,” Minihan wrote in a February 1 memo. “Go faster. Drive readiness, integration, and agility for ourselves to deter, and if required defeat China.
Guam Likely to Be Frontline in Potential Conflict
In case of war, Guam likely will be a major target for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), which has it in its crosshairs with its DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missile, the so-called “Guam killer.”
Chinese propaganda has shown Chinese bombers attacking U.S. forces on the island.
The Pentagon’s 2022 report to Congress on Chinese military developments noted that an increasing number of Chinese ballistic and cruise missiles were capable of hitting U.S. bases on the island.
John Rossomando is a defense and counterterrorism analyst and served as Senior Analyst for Counterterrorism at The Investigative Project on Terrorism for eight years. His work has been featured in numerous publications such as The American Thinker, The National Interest, National Review Online, Daily Wire, Red Alert Politics, CNSNews.com, The Daily Caller, Human Events, Newsmax, The American Spectator, TownHall.com, and Crisis Magazine. He also served as senior managing editor of The Bulletin, a 100,000-circulation daily newspaper in Philadelphia, and received the Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors first-place award for his reporting.
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