WASHINGTON _ The U.S. Air Force released on Wednesday a "roadmap" that plans deployment of high-tech next-generation aircraft at its bases in Guam and Hawaii, locations that affect the American military presence on the Korean Peninsula.
The plan, posted on its website, said it is a result of meetings last month with top leaders from the Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.
It calls for deployment of Global Hawk, the state-of-the-art unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. Much coveted by South Korea as it prepares to regain wartime operational control of its forces from the U.S. in 2012, Global Hawk is said to be able to remotely seek out something as small as 30cm in size from as far as 5,500km away.
The roadmap also calls for sending F-22s, stealth fighter jets known as Raptors, to Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii as well as to the Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.
A source well-versed in military affairs said the initial plan is to send six Global Hawks to Guam between this and next year.
This source described the roadmap as a high-tech forward deployment at a strategic triangle formed by Guam, Hawaii and Alaska. "The importance of these three locations will grow in the coming days," he said.
Further reinforcement with KC-135 Stratotankers, used for air refueling, at these bases would further aid the Air Force in carrying out its missions in Northeast Asia, the source said.
The roadmap requires a prior environmental impact study under the National Environmental Policy Act. The study will be taken into consideration with financial and logistical factors to determine if and how different missions will begin at each base, the Air Force announcement said.