Air Force to increase Guam's bandwidth

HONOLULU -- The Air Force plans to beef up its operations in Guam, a U.S. territory in the western Pacific Ocean, which will require an increase in Defense Department network capacity to the island, Pacific Air Forces commanders said at AFCEA International’s TechNet Asia-Pacific conference.

Lt. Gen. David Deptula, Pacific Air Forces’ vice commander, said he anticipates the Air Force to increase the operation of strike and tanker aircraft from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. The service may also make Guam the home of six Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles.

Col. Vince Valdespino, Pacific Air Forces’ chief information officer, said the Global Hawks’ broadband imagery capabilities will require an increase in bandwidth to the island. He declined to provide any details until his command submits its requirements to the Defense Information Systems Agency.

A telecommunications vendor executive who declined to be identified said he expects DISA to boost bandwidth to Guam from the current 155 megabits/sec circuit to a 622 megabits/sec circuit. The executive added that DISA is also looking to provide dark fiber to Guam to handle future increases in bandwidth. Dark fiber allows organizations to customize the use of the fiber as necessary.