James Moylan

A Dark Eagle Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon assigned to 7th Infantry Division (Multi-Domain Command — Pacific) during training as part of exercise Valiant Shield on June 2026.

There are no current plans to permanently put offensive missiles on Guam, but the military’s new hypersonic missile system, Dark Eagle, was sent to Tinian and may be “temporarily deployed” in the future, according to Del. James Moylan.

Written testimony from Moylan was read during a Monday informational briefing on the military buildup, hosted by buildup oversight chairwoman Sen. Telo Taitague.

“I am not aware of any plans to permanently place offensive missile systems in Guam,” the delegate stated in response to questions posed by Taitague. “It is my current understanding that no such plans exist.”

Moylan stated he was aware of a recent deployment of the military’s Dark Eagle weapon system to Tinian.

Stars and Stripes in July reported that the newly deployed weapon, meant to defeat enemy defenses by maneuvering at high speeds before hitting its target, was sent to Guam during exercise Valiant Shield.

The Washington Times shortly after reported that the missile system was actually sent to Tinian in the north. The Times quoted U.S. Pacific Command in the article.

Moylan’s Monday statement appears to confirm the Tinian deployment.

“This may, in the future, be temporarily deployed or transit within the second island chain,” he stated, referring to the defensive line American military planners draw through the Mariana Islands and the heart of Micronesia.

The delegate stated the deployment of Dark Eagle to Tinian was “not consistent with other temporary fluctuations of military posture in and around Guam.”

Moylan also addressed the possibility of the anti-missile Guam Defense System, now under construction, being used to bolster offensive missiles on the island.

Washington Times in June reported that PACOM Commander Adm. Samuel Paparo called the Guam Defense System the “basis for future offensive capability” in a $67.4 billion request to Congress for new missiles.

Adm. John Aquilino, who previously held Paparo’s job, said as far back as 2023 that the Guam Defense system must be prepared to “incorporate offensive capabilities as needed,” Pacific Daily News reported.

Del. Moylan, in his testimony Monday, stated he had requested classified briefings to “follow up on concerns expressed by the public” around missile deployment to Guam.

He stated PACOM approved the following statement for public release: “U.S. Pacific Command’s requirement for the Guam for the Guam defense system is built for protect for the protection of Guam and is the command’s top priority. GDS will serve as a cornerstone of regional deterrence, providing persistent 360-degree integrated air and missile defense against advanced threats. While it is true that the GDS sensors provide multi-domain situational awareness that can integrate with and support broader joint force operations. Defense of Guam is the objective of GDS.”

Moylan stated he was “confident” the Guam Defense System was “well aligned” to protect the island against threats.

The delegate was one of a number of officials who were invited to but did not attend the Monday briefing.

Other notable officials who were invited but did not appear include representatives of the Leon Guerrero administration and officials from Joint Region Marianas and Joint Task Force Micronesia, according to Sen. Taitague.

Taitague and Sen. Chris Barnett, both seeking reelection, expressed frustration at the absence of officials to talk about the buildup’s impacts to Guam.

Military officials attended past briefings hosted by Taitague, and did share information about the buildup.

But they stopped attending in May, when JTF-M Commander Rear Adm. Joshua Lasky said they would instead share information at meetings with lawmakers at JRM headquarters.

Lasky called it “the most effective to share information with lawmakers and answer questions.”

Those meetings are not open to the public.

Former Guam delegate to Congress Robert Underwood did appear for Monday’s informational briefing.

Underwood, a prominent Democrat, was critical of Republican Moylan being absent to answer questions from lawmakers. He called the written statement the delegate provided, “trickle down transparency.”

He said the general state of information sharing around the buildup was “inadequate.”

“The island is undergoing significant changes, and changes are being planned for it … and the planning does not include us,” Underwood said. “Somebody makes decisions, and then we are informed about the decisions.”

Also providing written testimony Monday was Tumon resident Baltazar Bordallo Aguon.

Aguon pointed to the $11.7 billion cost Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero recently said that civilian infrastructure and services will incur to support the buildup over the next eight years as a sign of its impacts.

He said the power grid remained vulnerable, and buildup-driven real estate inflation continues to price our own children out of their ancestral homeland.

“Multi-billion-dollar defense joint ventures export their profits off island, while local taxpayers are left holding an $11 billion dollar tab,” Aguon said.

Resident Claire Calvo called for independent environmental monitoring on Guam and research to determine whether contamination, some of it military-linked, led to high rates of cancer and other diseases.

Data showed CHamorus have nasal pharyngeal cancer at 23 times the U.S. rate, and Guam had a “striking” 19 hemodialysis units in a 210-square-mile area.

“I am not here to place blame entirely on the military or government or any single organization for the totality of illnesses experienced by our people,” Calvo said. “I am asking our congressman and our Legislature to use its oversight authority to help the people of Guam get answers and solutions.”

Reach Joe Taitano II at [email protected].

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