U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Restores Original Name "Pacific Command"

Reference News Network reported on June 19 According to a report from the U.S. "Stars and Stripes" website on June 17, eight years ago, the then U.S. Secretary of Defense renamed the "U.S. Pacific Command" to "U.S. Indo-Pacific Command." Now, the Pentagon has restored the original name of the command on the 16th.

The Pentagon stated in a press release: "Restoring the old name of the U.S. Pacific Command is a tribute to the command's deep historical roots and helps foster pride and a sense of collective spirit among all service members in the Pacific region."

The U.S. Pacific Command was established by President Truman in 1947 and is the oldest and largest operational command in the United States.

In May 2018, during the change of command ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, then-Secretary of Defense James Mattis announced the renaming decision.

Mattis said at the ceremony: "Given the increasingly close ties between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific, today we are renaming the U.S. Pacific Command to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. For decades, this command has made adjustments based on changing circumstances, and today it will continue this tradition as the U.S. strategic focus shifts westward."

Since then, New Delhi and Washington have deepened their strategic and military ties. However, tensions in U.S.-India relations have increased due to tariffs imposed by Trump last year and the initiation of conflict with Iran earlier this year. The U.S. military recently conducted missile strikes on a tanker carrying Indian merchant sailors in the Strait of Hormuz, to which India has protested.

According to a report by AFP on June 16, bidding documents and information provided by relevant officials indicate that the U.S. military is planning to establish a permanent combat-ready weapons reserve for the U.S. Marine Corps on the southeast coast of Australia.

Analysts say this is the first time the U.S. Marine Corps has established a reserve in Australia.

The first land reserve of the U.S. Marine Corps in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to be activated this year in the Philippines, located near potential conflict points in the South China Sea.

Documents released by the U.S. Navy this month show plans to establish a larger reserve in Australia, with $30 million allocated to build warehouses and offices in Victoria, southeastern Australia, for "critical forward supply preparations."

Bidding documents indicate that these warehouses will be completed next year at an Australian military base in rural Victoria.

Documents show that the U.S. Navy will collaborate with a global defense contractor to hire about 110 engineers, mechanics, materials, and safety experts to manage the reserves located in Australia. (Translated by Hu Guanghe and Hu Xue)