Air Force shifts unit to bolster response
By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer
Guam is losing the 13th Air Force, which will be moved to Hawai'i to form the core of a new Pacific "Warfighting Headquarters" that should be able to muster airpower faster for combat or humanitarian assistance.
The 77 people with the unit will be moved from Guam to Hickam Air Force Base for the new headquarters, which is likely to grow and will be headed by a three-star general. No aircraft are being moved from Guam.
"This reorganization is an essential reallocation of Air Force assets in order to meet current and future (U.S. Pacific Command and Pacific Air Forces) objectives," said Gen. Paul V. Hester, commander of Pacific Air Forces.
There is no dedicated war-fighting headquarters in the Pacific now.
Under the present system, joint task forces are employed in a crisis. In response to the tsunami disaster, for example, Marine Lt. Gen. Robert Blackman out of Okinawa headed up Combined Support Force 536, while Maj. Gen. David Deptula, director of air and space operations for Pacific Air Forces, was the joint forces air component commander.
"What we're doing is taking that step forward to be able to respond faster if we need to," said Capt. David Faggard, a Pacific Air Forces spokesman. "This is really providing us with a more responsive, focused command and control capability."
The warfighting headquarters based at Hickam will focus exclusively on planning and executing operations in the Pacific theater, with the exclusion of the Korean peninsula. It will be activated in May.
Faggard said Hawai'i was picked for the new headquarters because with its strategic location and other service components here, "the synergy that can occur between all the different services is really paramount."
Headquarters of Pacific Air Forces will continue to focus on the daily management of facilities.
The 13th Air Force, one of four numbered Pacific Air Force headquarters in Guam, Japan, South Korea and Alaska, was responsible for executing and controlling operations throughout the Southwest Pacific and Indian Ocean.
The new headquarters is being stood up as the United States undertakes a worldwide reorganization of forces — including plans to move 70,000 troops out of countries such as Germany and South Korea.
Japanese press previously reported that the 5th Air Force in Yokota, Japan, would be consolidated with the 13th Air Force and that the consolidated headquarters would be in Japan or Guam.
"This does not change anything that 5th Air Force does. I've seen all those stories, too, but all that stuff has been really speculative," Faggard said. "Obviously, all options are still on the table, (but) I think for the time being, 5th Air Force is still going to be in Japan."
The Air Force has been stepping up its combat capabilities in the Pacific. In November, B-52 bombers off the coast of Kaua'i for the first time used 2,000-pound satellite-guided bombs to attack moving ships as part of a $10 million exercise called "Resultant Fury."
The demonstration was seen as sending a message to China, North Korea and terrorists. Guam is seeing a military buildup with three attack submarines and B-1, B-2 stealth, and B-52 bombers rotating through.
Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5459.
