U.S. makes Thaad unit in Guam permanent as North Korea, China threats grow

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has transformed its Guam-based Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) missile defense task force into a permanent battalion, strengthening the island's air defenses against growing missile threats from North Korea and China.

The 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, was formally activated at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam on Oct. 16, according to the U.S. Army.

“The battalion’s mission will be to support the defense of Guam by maintaining readiness and providing air and missile defense capabilities against potential threats,” the U.S. Army said in a release.

“The ceremony recognized the battalion’s activation under the unit’s historic designation as the U.S. Army continues to strengthen its integrated air and missile defense capabilities across the Indo-Pacific region,” it added.

The new battalion will take over the mission of Task Force Talon, which had operated the Thaad system on a rotational basis since 2013 and was officially deactivated in July.

Thaad is a antiballistic missile system designed to intercept incoming threats at an altitude of up to 150 kilometers (93 miles).

Task Force Talon was established in response to North Korea's growing nuclear threats.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who succeeded his father Kim Jong-il following his death in December 2011, conducted his first nuclear test — North Korea's third overall — in February 2013.

The following month, the North Korean military’s supreme command announced that its strategic rocket and long-range artillery units would be placed on top combat readiness. It explicitly stated that it "will target all enemy objects in U.S. invasionary bases on its mainland, Hawaii and Guam."

A North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson also said in March 2013 that the country would exercise its right to “pre-emptive nuclear strikes on the headquarters of the aggressors.”  

In response, the United States announced in April 2013 that it would deploy a Thaad battery to Guam.

More than 13 years later, the provisional Thaad unit established in response to Kim Jong-un's first nuclear test has been transformed into a permanent battalion with expanded capabilities.

The U.S. Army said the move “cements the Department of War’s commitment toward permanent air defense capabilities in the Indo-Pacific.”

The emphasis on establishing permanent air defense capabilities suggests that the move is intended to counter not only North Korea's missile threats but also China's expanding missile arsenal.

“Guam’s strategic location makes it an important part of U.S. military operations throughout the region by supporting joint force operations while making air and missile defense a critical part of protecting the forces and infrastructure needed to support those missions,” the U.S. Army said.

Andersen Air Force Base serves as a rear staging hub for reinforcements and other military operations in the event of a conflict on the Korean Peninsula or in the Taiwan Strait.

The Army's emphasis on Guam's strategic importance and the need to strengthen its defenses suggests that Washington sees a growing need for a permanent, reliable response system as North Korea and China continue to diversify their missile capabilities.

The Army also said activating the new battalion represents “a deliberate expansion on how the Army defends its strategic hub” and a shift toward “a multi-capability air defense framework.”

“The soldiers developed new procedures, relationships, and integration required to connect sensors, command and control systems, launchers and interceptors to promote a unified defensive architecture,” Lt. Col. Joshua Urness, the new battalion’s commander, said.

The move lays the organizational groundwork for establishing an independent, multilayered air defense network on Guam.

The new battalion plans to integrate its existing Thaad system with Patriot missile defense systems and mobile launchers under the Indirect Fire Protection Capability program, designed to intercept low-altitude threats such as cruise missiles and drones.

The reinforcement of Guam's missile defense network is particularly noteworthy amid growing concerns that the war with Iran has severely depleted U.S. interceptor missile stockpiles.

It also suggests that Washington continues to regard deterring China as a strategic priority even as U.S. forces remain heavily committed to the conflict in the Middle East.

The addition of low-altitude interception capabilities also appears to reflect lessons from the wars in Iran and Ukraine, where drones have demonstrated their effectiveness on the battlefield.

Meanwhile, the United States is accelerating efforts to strengthen its military posture in Australia as part of its broader strategy to counter China.

The United States, Britain and Australia announced Tuesday that the Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Colorado had been selected as the first submarine assigned to Submarine Rotational Force-West (SRF-West) under their trilateral security partnership, Aukus. The rotational deployment initiative is scheduled to begin operations at HMAS Stirling naval base in Western Australia in late 2027.

The three countries established Aukus in 2021 to “promote a free and open Indo-Pacific that is secure and stable.”

Under the initiative, up to four U.S. nuclear-powered attack submarines and one British nuclear-powered submarine are expected to rotate through the base.

USS Colorado arrived at HMAS Stirling on Tuesday to undergo submarine maintenance in preparation for the launch of SRF-West.

The rotational deployment of U.S. nuclear-powered submarines to Australia marks the first phase of the Aukus security partnership, under which Australia plans to acquire Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines in the early 2030s before eventually building its own.

The U.S. Army's efforts to strengthen Guam's permanent air defense network and the planned rotational deployment of U.S. and British nuclear-powered submarines to Australia suggest that Washington is building a long-term military posture capable of countering China's expanding missile and naval capabilities simultaneously across the Indo-Pacific.

BY YOO JEE-HYE [[email protected]]