Expert Warns U.S. Pacific Military Bases Are Highly Vulnerable to Missile and Drone Attacks

Seth Jones, president of the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, stated that U.S. military bases in South Korea, Japan, and other Pacific nations are highly vulnerable to missile and drone attacks from North Korea and China. In an op-ed published by The Wall Street Journal, Jones argued that the U.S. has been too slow to learn from the drone and missile warfare seen in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine since 2022.

Jones noted that China poses a more serious threat than Iran due to a larger and more capable stockpile of hypersonic, ballistic, and cruise missiles, as well as drones. He specifically highlighted the vulnerability of infrastructure in Guam, the Philippines, Japan, and South Korea. This warning follows reports that the United States is running low on key missile defense interceptors due to the war in the Middle East.

To address these risks, Jones recommended increasing active defenses, such as systems that identify and shoot down incoming threats. He also urged the U.S. to implement passive defenses, including the use of camouflage, the construction of underground facilities for vital infrastructure, and the dispersal of military facilities to complicate enemy attacks. Jones concluded by questioning if the U.S. military will learn to prepare for a world where missiles and drones are ubiquitous before the cost of unpreparedness escalates.