Report: Expanded U.S. naval forces needed to counter China's 'anti-access threats'

[ErnstBlofeld]

East-Asia-Intel.com,:

 

 

A new report by a congressionally-mandated commission is recommending that the Pentagon begin beefing up U.S. naval forces in response to China's military buildup, which is largely focused on naval forces.

 

The independent panel of experts, led by former National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley and former Defense Secretary William Perry, stated in a bipartisan response to the Pentagon's Quadrennial Defense Review that the force structure in Asia needs to be increased.

 

 

“In order to preserve U.S. interests, the United States will need to retain the ability to transit freely the areas of the Western Pacific for security and economic reasons,” the report said.

“The United States must be fully present in the Asia-Pacific region to protect American lives and territory, ensure the free flow of commerce, maintain stability, and defend our allies in the region. A robust U.S. force structure, one that is largely rooted in maritime strategy and includes other necessary capabilities, will be essential.”

 

According to the independent panel, the U.S. should plan on continuing its role as a Pacific power to deal with China’s emergence and noted that the Pentagon’s Quadrennial Defense Review force for the future “may not be sufficient to assure others that the United States can meet its treaty commitments in the face of China‘s increased military capabilities.”

 

The panel recommended increasing the priority in “defeating anti-access and area-denial threats.”

 

China is about to deploy a high-tech version of the DF-21 medium range missile that will be able to target ships at sea with a warhead that first passes through space at very high speeds. The U.S. Navy currently has no defenses against the DF-21.

 

The report said developing counter weapons to anti-access weapons “will involve acquiring new capabilities.”

 

“Specifically, we believe the United States must fully fund the modernization of its surface fleet,” the report said.

 

“We also believe the United States must be able to deny an adversary sanctuary by providing persistent surveillance, tracking, and rapid engagement with high-volume precision strike. That is why the panel supports an increase in investment in long-range strike systems and their associated sensors. In addition, U.S. forces must develop and demonstrate the ability to operate in an information-denied environment.”

 

The report is at odds with the policies espoused by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who in a speech May 3 questioned the value of maintaining a large naval force. According to Gates, while the U.S. Navy maintains 11 carriers and 10 amphibious ships, no other navy has more than three helicopter ships and one aircraft carrier.

 

During the speech, Gates said: “Do we really need eleven carrier strike groups for another 30 years when no other country has more than one? Any future plans must address these realities.”