Beijing ’s expanding military poses a “significant threat” to the United States and the Pentagon is not ready for a conflict with China , according to …
Beijing ’s expanding military poses a “significant threat” to the United States and the Pentagon is not ready for a conflict with China, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office. “Today, China has transformed what was an obsolete military into one that can challenge the U.S. military across the spectrum of conventional and unconventional capabilities,” the GAO said in a report made public this week. Key weaknesses identified by the congressional watchdog agency include military readiness shortfalls, force mobility problems and supply chain issues needed for new F-35 warplanes. “Potential adversaries, including China, now contest all domains,” the GAO survey found. “From fiscal years 2017 through 2019, U.S. military readiness increased in the ground domain and declined in the sea domain, while readiness ratings in the space, air and cyber domains were mixed.” Other problems identified by GAO include vulnerabilities in weapons systems that can be exploited by Chinese cyberattacks, Navy crew fatigue and attack submarine operating problems. The Defense Department “has struggled to ensure its weapon systems can withstand cyberattacks and should take steps to incorporate cybersecurity requirements into contracts,” the report said. China ’s growing arsenal of space weapons — missiles, robot satellites, lasers and cyber capabilities — also could cripple U.S. military operations in a future conflict. “ China is developing capabilities that threaten [the Defense Department ’s] satellite communications systems,” the report said, adding that Beijing is building arms for large-scale anti-satellite strikes using novel physical, cyber and electronic warfare means. The Pentagon has analyzed ways to replace existing vulnerable space systems but “concluded that it needs more information to select the next satellite communications architecture,” the report said.
