The
United States and its allies are expending nearly $37 billion on new
capabilities and infrastructure with the goal of fortifying collective defense
and maintaining regional stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
At
the Council of Foreign Relations in 2014 Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work
called these efforts, “The four biggest construction projects since the end of
the Cold War.”
The
projects are under development at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, Marine Corps Air
Station Iwakuni, Japan; Futenma Replacement Facility, Okinawa; and on U.S.
territory in Guam.
U.S.
Army Camp Humphreys is approximately 40 miles south of Seoul and home of one of
the Army's most active airfields. The
military and civilian population will grow from 10,000 to 36,000 after U.S.
Forces Korea Headquarters and the 2nd Infantry Division are relocated
here.
This
camp will become the larger of two hubs into which U.S. military forces on the
peninsula are to be consolidated.
Construction projects underway include unit headquarters buildings,
vehicle maintenance facilities, barracks, a communications complex, and force
support facilities for military members and their families.
Marine
Corps Air Station Futenma is currently located in the center of Okinawa’s
Ginowan City. The relocation is a
meaningful result of many years of sustained work between the United States and
Japan, and is a critical step toward realizing our shared vision for the
realignment of U.S. Forces on Okinawa.
In
order to consolidate the U.S. footprint on Okinawa the air station will be
moved to a replacement facility at the Camp Schwab Henoko-saki area. About 9,000 Marines will be relocated away
from Okinawa throughout the theater in a manner more consistent with today’s
military distributed laydown requirements.
Marine
Corps Air Station Iwakuni is on the southeastern tip of Honshu, the largest
Japanese island. Construction here
supports a reassigned Marine C-130 squadron from Futenma; and in 2017 will
support a portion of the Carrier Air Wing FIVE from Atsugi, Japan.
Iwakuni
construction includes a massive landfill effort, relocating the runway further
out to sea, military and family housing, and airfield facilities.
Guam
construction is designed to absorb the move of approximately 4,100
Okinawa-based Marines along with roughly 600 globally sourced Marines, with
associated dependents, training ranges and support facilities. As the most
forward U.S. territories in the Pacific, Guam and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands are important strategic hubs for the U.S. Asia-Pacific
rebalance.
Together,
these construction projects underscore the U.S. and allied commitment to the
Asia-Pacific region.