The commander of the U.S. Pacific Air Force said Friday he is seeking a buildup on the island of Guam amid concerns that China is becoming a growing threat.
Gen. William Begert told reporters at the Pentagon that the buildup would be in line with last year's Quadrennial Defense Review.
The report, which addressed maintaining a stable balance of power in Asia, did not mention China by name but voiced concerns over its military buildup.
It said the potential existed for "regional powers to develop sufficient capabilities to threaten stability in regions critical to U.S. interests."
"I hope what it (the review) means is we'll get some force structure back into Guam -- a U.S. territory in that neighborhood that would be a great source of stability," Begert said.
He said he is pushing for a plan to deploy radar-evading F-22 fighters, Boeing 767 tankers and C-17 cargo and troop transports at Guam's Anderson Air Force Base.
He said he is also seeking to put bombers and Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance airplanes at the base.
During the Vietnam War, B-52 bombers flew from the base. But it now serves mainly as a refueling stop.