Building a Cutting-Edge Combat Hub? The U.S. Military Plans to Establish a "Logistics Warehouse" in the Philippines, Experts Say: The Outcome Will Inevitably Lead to Increased Turmoil

[Global Times Report, Reporter Guo Yuandan] An article on the U.S. Naval Institute website on the 7th stated that the U.S. military plans to establish a new naval and aviation fuel supply base in southern Philippines before 2028. This base will, along with the bases to be established in Australia and Papua New Guinea, form part of the expanding forward fuel supply network of the U.S. in the Pacific region. Military expert Zhang Junsha told Global Times reporters that this move by the U.S. military aims to strengthen the logistics capabilities of the "First Island Chain" and prepare for potential conflicts.

The U.S. Naval Institute website reported on the 7th that last month, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) announced it was seeking defense contractors to support the establishment of a defense fuel base in the Davao region of Mindanao in southern Philippines.

The defense fuel base is a logistics supply base used by the Pentagon to store fuel and lubricants to support military operations. A task description document stated that the fuel base in Davao is expected to store 41 million gallons of fuel and lubricants.

The document shows that defense contractors are expected to operate and store U.S.-owned fuel products from April 2028 to October 2031. About half of the fuel stored at the Davao base will be used for naval vessels, with the remainder being aviation fuel.

According to analyses by U.S. media, once operational, the Davao defense fuel base will provide U.S. naval vessels with an alternative supply point outside of ports facing the South China Sea, such as Subic and Manila, which may be attacked in the event of potential conflicts with countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Additionally, the location of the new defense fuel base within Davao Bay also brings U.S. fuel supply facilities closer to the Sulu Sea, which is one of the multiple waterways used by U.S. naval forces (including carrier strike groups and amphibious assault ships) to enter and exit the "First Island Chain."

In addition to strengthening the critical forward fuel storage bases in emergencies, the activation of the Davao fuel base will also complement the supply networks in Papua New Guinea and Australia, forming a regional fuel supply network available in the southeastern part of the "First Island Chain."

A report on the visit of the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency Energy Commander, Rear Admiral George Bresnihan, to the South Pacific last year detailed the two upcoming locations in Papua New Guinea's Port Moresby and Australia's Darwin.

Military expert Zhang Junsha stated in an interview with Global Times reporters on the 8th that the U.S. military's plan to establish a fuel base in the Davao region of the Philippines aims to enhance its logistical support capabilities and sustained operational capabilities in the Western Pacific during wartime. "This move is a key step for the U.S. to implement its new defense strategy and consolidate the operational system of the 'First Island Chain,' aiming to prepare for potential conflicts. In recent years, the U.S. military has continuously strengthened its forward deployment and operational support facilities in the Asia-Pacific region, and the Davao project is a microcosm of this strategic shift."

Recently, some allies of the U.S. refused to provide bases at critical moments during U.S. airstrike operations against Iran.

Zhang Junsha believes that "the U.S. military is focused on building a distributed, multi-node supply network in the Asia-Pacific to avoid being passive due to a single logistics channel during wartime."

From the latest exposed actions of the U.S. military, it can be seen that the U.S. is systematically shaping the Philippines into a forward operational hub. The bases being built in the Philippines are not only for docking naval vessels and aircraft but also undertake the pre-positioning storage tasks for ammunition and fuel, making it a "logistics warehouse" for the Western Pacific direction.

In this regard, Zhang Junsha stated that the Philippine government's policy of allowing the U.S. to build operational support facilities on its territory not only deviates from the peaceful wishes of the Philippine people but also undermines the common vision of seeking peace and development in the Asia-Pacific region, and its outcome will inevitably lead to increased turmoil and loss of public support.