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Securing the Indo-Pacific

Tensions between the United States and China had already been at a high pitch in the wake of Beijing’s increasing military power, and its aggressive moves towards its neighbors. Anger over the People’s Republic role in allowing the COVID-19 crisis to spread throughout the planet has escalated the strain to an unprecedented level.

Throughout the Cold War with the Soviet Union, a strong U.S. military presence and a solid collection of allies united through NATO helped Europe, and the world, avoid a third world war. Some in Washington are seeking to gradually develop that concept in the Indo-Pacific region to deter China.

The importance, and the danger, of the region is evident. Among the 10 largest standing armies in the world, 7 reside in the Indo-Pacific; and 6 countries in the region possess nuclear weapons. Nine of the world’s 10 busiest seaports are in the region, and 60 percent of global maritime trade transits through Asia, with roughly one-third of global shipping passing through the South China Sea alone. A quarter of U.S. exports go to the Indo-Pacific, and exports to China and India have more than doubled over the past decade. 

Somewhat ironically, while China is the chief source of threat and uncertainty in the region, it is also the chief beneficiary of the Pax Americana that has characterized it since the end of the Second World War.  A Department of Defense analysis released in 2019 notes that “Perhaps no country has benefited more from the free and open regional and international system than China, which has witnessed the rise of hundreds of millions from poverty to growing prosperity and security. Yet while the Chinese people aspire to free markets, justice, and the rule of law, the People’s Republic of China, under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, undermines the international system from within by exploiting its benefits while simultaneously eroding the values and principles of the rules-based order.”

Rep. Mac Thornberry, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, has released a discussion draft of the legislation

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largely aimed at China’s regional overreach.   According to the Texas Republican, “Senior officials from both parties, military commanders, and international security experts have told us for years that the Indo-Pacific must be this country’s priority theater. They are absolutely correct, and it is time to put our money where our mouth is.” The legislation calls for $6.09 billion in FY21 to be spent in the Indo-Pacific region on enhancing missile defense, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance programs, infrastructure, prepositioned equipment and munitions, logistics, training and exercises, and programs to strengthen the capacity of allied and partner countries. It builds on the White House budget request for the region, as well as additional requirements identified by combatant commanders, service secretaries, and the Indo-Pacific Command’s investment plan, delivered to Congress last month.

The draft bill identifies the specific resources the Pentagon would need to deter China, similar to what the European Deterrence Initiative has done for Europe against Russia. The bill would strengthen America’s current military strength in the area, and its ability to respond to future threats.

There is no equivalent to NATO in the Pacific, so the measure also includes a commitment to work with and strengthen regional allies. More than just a single year spending commitment, it seeks to establish on ongoing basis support for confronting the People’s Republic.

The soon-to-be proposed measures includes a number of specific proposals. It would improve air and missile defense systems on the key base in Guam, as well as providing Homeland Defense radars for Hawaii. Bombers would be provided, as well as submarine warfare equipment.

Photo: The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and the guided missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill travel in the Philippine Sea, March 18, 2020. (U.S. Navy)

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Defense Spending Bill Acknowledges Major Threats, Part 2

On Saturday, The New York Analysis of Policy and Government provided a general outline of the National Defense Authorization Act recently passed by the House of Representatives.  In today’s article, we provide specifics. 

Spending for Specific Weapons Systems in the NDAA

  • Authorizes $360.0 million, an increase of $338.1 million, for Stryker A1 combat vehicles, the most survivable and advanced version of the Stryker combat vehicle. ● Supports the President’s budget request to modernize Army Armored Brigade Combat Team vehicles, including 135 M1 Abrams tanks, 60 Bradley fighting vehicles, 197 Armored multi—purpose vehicles, 38 Improved Recovery Vehicles, and 3,390 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles. ● Authorizes multiyear procurement authorities for F/A—18E/F Super Hornet aircraft, C— 130 Super Hercules aircraft, E—2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft, advanced missiles and amphibious ships to generate better cost savings for the taxpayer and provide needed capability to the Navy; ● Supports the President’s budget request for the F—35 Joint Strike Fighter and authorizes 77 aircraft. The bill also authorizes the Department to procure additional F-35 aircraft, if additional funds become available, utilizing cost savings and program efficiencies. ● Authorizes an additional $85.0 million for additional UH—60M Black Hawk utility helicopters for the Army National Guard. The most modern Black Hawk version. ● Supports additional funding to maintain the maximum production rate of critical munitions, such as small diameter bombs, joint direct attack munitions, hellfire missiles, advanced precision kill weapon systems, long range anti—ship missiles, tomahawk missiles, advanced medium—range air—to—air missiles and torpedoes. ● Mandates recapitalization of the Navy’s 43—year old auxiliary fleet which would help to transport Army and Marine Corps forces in times of conflict. ● Encourages the rapid development and fielding of interim maneuver short range air defense capabilities and indirect fire protection solutions to address current deficiencies in air and missile defense. ● Fully supports funding for the Columbia—class ballistic missile submarine and the B—21 Raider bomber programs. ● Adds $150 million to accelerate U.S. efforts to field a conventional prompt strike capability before FY22, in response to the critical advances Russia and China have made in developing their prompt global strike hypersonic weapons.

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STRATEGIC READINESS

The NDAA supports the Nuclear Posture Review’s recommendation to pursue a lower—yield ballistic missile warhead to strengthen deterrence. ● Supports the President’s budget request to restore the nuclear arsenal and adds $325 million for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s nuclear weapons activities and defense nuclear nonproliferation program, including efforts to modernize the nuclear weapons stockpile and address NNSA’s aging facilities and other infrastructure. ● Provides increased funding to accelerate two key Air Force nuclear modernization programs: The Ground—Based Strategic Deterrent and the Long—Range Standoff cruise missile

Missile Defense

The HASC believes the threats from North Korea and Iran demonstrate that the time to debate the utility or practicality of missile defenses has passed. Again, building on the work of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, the NDAA: ● Supports the President’s request for missile defense and adds $140 million to the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) for development of critical directed energy, and Space sensing projects, and the acceleration of hypersonic defense capabilities. ● Adds $175 million to accelerate integration of Patriot (for lower altitudes) andTerminal High Altitude Area Defense (higher altitudes) missiles to meet the requirements of the Commander of U.S. Forces in Korea. ● Requires the director of MDA establish a boost phase intercept program using kinetic interceptors, initiate development of a missile defense tracking and discrimination Space sensor layer and continue efforts to develop high power directed energy for missile defense applications. ● Requires the Director of MDA to continue development for the homeland defense radar in Hawaii, and that it be operationally capable by FY23. ● Provides increased funding to address cyber threats to our missile defense systems. ● Supports the President’s request of $500 million for co—development of missile defense systems with Israel, and co—production of Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow weapons systems.

Space Warfighting

Russia and China are developing capabilities to deny the United States the advantages it derives from operating in space. Equally concerning is the inability of the organizations responsible for the nation’s national security—related space activities to prepare for Space to become a warfighting domain and to adequately develop and/or acquire essential national security Space systems. Efforts to reform the Department’s approach to Space issues can be summarized in four equally important elements: acquisition reform, resources, cadre development, and joint warfighting. The NDAA comprehensively addresses each one of these lines of effort to ensure that our Servicemembers are ready to defend our vital national interests in space. The bill also ensures that the Department’s Space investments are being executed in a way to ensure increased agility, lethality, and accountability by the Department of Defense. The NDAA: ● Directs the Department of Defense to develop a plan to establish a separate alternative acquisition process for Space acquisitions. ● Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to develop and implement a plan to increase the size and quality of the Space cadre within the Air Force. ● Establishes a new numbered Air Force responsible for carrying out Space warfighting. ● Establishes a sub—unified command for Space under the Strategic Command for carrying out joint Space warfighting. ● Directs the Secretary of Defense to develop a plan that identifies joint mission—essential tasks for Space as a warfighting domain. ● Supports the President’s request for Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared, Protected Satellite Communications, and the Air Force’s Space launch efforts.

FACING NEW THREATS

Russia and China are reasserting their power and leveraging new technologies, The U.S. competitive edge has eroded in every domain of warfare, air, land, sea, Space, and cyberspace, and it is continuing to erode. The NDAA includes threat—specific initiatives designed to maximize defense resources and keep America safe.

Emerging Technologies

America’s security is challenged by our strategic competitors’ advances in Artificial Intelligence, Space and counter—Space capabilities, Cyber, Influence Operations, and Hypersonics, among others. To address these threats, the NDAA: ● Places emphasis on policy and programs to advance Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, quantum computing, and other critical national security technologies; ● Fully supports innovation efforts of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and Defense Innovation Unit Experimental to ensure our technological superiority and dominance over current and future threats; ● Advances hypersonic and directed energy weapons research, development, and transition efforts within DoD; ● Provides additional funds to accelerate Artificial Intelligence, machine learning programs, as well as directed energy, and hypersonics programs.

Photo: U.S. DoD

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Defense Spending Bill Acknowledges Major Threats

The United States has never faced a collection of opponents more dangerous than that of the Russian-Chinese Axis, with Iran and North Korea thrown in for added problems.

Despite that, as Moscow and Beijing have dramatically upgraded their armed forces and engaged in aggressive acts, Washington, during the Obama Administration, depleted the nation’s defenses, reducing even further a military that was decimated following the end of the cold war in the mistaken belief that the end of the USSR meant that peace was at hand.

There is, finally, a growing sense of urgency within the government about the decline of American strength even as the threat expands. According to the House Armed Services Committee,(HASC)  “America’s military is facing challenges on multiple fronts, including the troubling increase in serious training accidents in all the military services; the re—emergence of competitors like Russia and China; the nuclear ambitions of Iran and North Korea; and the imperative to keep up the pressure on ISIS, al Qaeda, and other terrorist groups.”

The HASC notes that “Competitors like Russia and China are investing in new strategic weapons designed to challenge America’s credible nuclear deterrent, undermine missile defense capabilities, and erode the advantages the U.S. derives from Space.” According to the Congressional Committee, “…The NDAA takes a comprehensive approach to ensuring U.S. security by answering each one of those these challenges. Russia and China are building new modern nuclear weapons. At the same time, America’s nuclear deterrent has been neglected.”

In response, The House of Representatives has passed the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, which reflects that growing concern.

If passed by the Senate and approved by the President in its current form, the spending bill would authorize $717 billion in spending for defense needs, including significant increases for readiness recovery, and fully fund a 2.6 percent pay raise for servicemembers, the highest increase in 9 years. It also extends special pay and bonuses for servicemembers in high-demand fields to combat the high turnover of these jobs.

The HASC notes that “While the world has grown more dangerous, our military has grown smaller. Rebuilding the U.S. military must begin with growing the number of uniformed personnel. To help alleviate the stress on the force, the NDAA authorizes increases in the size of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Naval and Air Reserve, and Air Guard commensurate with the threats we face. …Continuing to recruit and retain America’s best…The NDAA also takes steps to address the ongoing pilot shortage, which is hampering readiness in every Service. In an effort to address the persistent pilot shortage in the Air Force, the NDAA requires the Service to evaluate all pilot staff requirements to maximize pilots’ time in the cockpit. Similarly, the bill extends the National Guard recruiting pilot program, which is designed to use retired senior enlisted members to fill recruiter positions so that current National Guard members can focus on their primary mission.”

General Outline

  • Authorizes $18.5 billion to begin to rehabilitate and replace worn out Army equipment, $39.4 billion to begin address the military aviation crisis, $36 billion to restore sea strength, and $23.3 billion to rebuild military buildings and infrastructure;
  • Funds the growth of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Naval and Air Reserve, and Air Guard;
  • Increases funding for training in each service;
  • Creates a Chief Management Officer (CMO) who will be charged with finding efficiencies and reducing 25 percent of the cost of certain Department-wide activities, enhancing accountability;
  • Provides $21.8 billion for equipment maintenance and $3.7 billion for spare parts;
  • Adds funding to improve America’s missile defense;
  • Makes key investments in other critical military capabilities to confront aggression and address threats around the world, including threats from Russia, China, North Korea and Iran; and
  • Places emphasis on policy and programs to advance America’s security against emerging threats – Artificial intelligence, space and counter-space capabilities, cyber, influence operations, hypersonics, among others.

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The Report concludes Monday.

Photo: U.S. DoD