US forces at critical juncture in era of rising Chinese power
6 Min Read
Top US military leaders warn of trailing China without rapid adaptation across space, sea, air, and the Arctic in evolving strategic competition.
-
Chinese military personnel line up during the Golden Dragon military exercise in Svay Chok village, Kampong Chhnang province, north of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, May 30, 2024 (AP)
At a high-level Council on Foreign Relations panel on May 19, top US military leaders warned that the United States armed forces are at a critical juncture, stressing that without rapid adaptation across all domains, space, sea, air, and the Arctic, they risk falling behind in an era of strategic competition, particularly against China.
Senior officials from the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard emphasized the urgent need to adapt amid a growing readiness crisis that has been developing for years, with a key focus on the People's Liberation Army, which has been advancing in sophistication and scale.
“They are certainly putting a lot of resources into capabilities,” Chief of Staff of the US Air Force General David Allen said, according to the Eurasian Times. “Will they fight? I don’t want to find out. But they’ve got a leader with ambition,” the general added, referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping, emphasizing that the US must take this seriously.
The US military’s leadership voiced deep concern over the PLA’s rapid advancements in naval power, aerospace technology, and integrated systems, prompting the Pentagon to prioritize faster integration of both manned and unmanned platforms to sustain deterrence and preserve strategic superiority.
US alarmed by Chinese Navy's advancements
Although the US Navy maintains an edge in crew training and technological sophistication, its leaders are deeply concerned by China's overwhelming shipbuilding capacity, the Eurasian Times reported.
“I have no doubt about our ships or how we train and use them. But quantity? That’s a concern,” Admiral James W. Kilby, acting Chief of Naval Operations, said during a recent panel, noting that the US is lagging in every shipbuilding class.
Kilby voiced strong frustration over the US industrial base's failure to match production scaling challenges, particularly given China's current status as operator of the world's largest naval fleet by vessel count and its possession of shipbuilding capacity exceeding America's by a factor of 200.
To address this disparity, the Navy is pursuing a "hybrid fleet" strategy combining conventional warships with unmanned surface, undersea, and aerial systems, an approach Kilby noted has demonstrated effectiveness in Ukraine and could enable the US to expand its naval presence without attempting to match China's vessel-for-vessel production scale.
“There’s great value in combining manned and unmanned systems,” Kilby stated, adding that the US is experimenting to find how to effectively combine the two modes into a strike group.
Drone warfare takes the limelight
The rapid transformation of modern warfare through drone technology has become a key focus for both the US and China, with Beijing actively expanding its global footprint by deploying Wing Loong and Chang Hong systems in various conflict zones while simultaneously penetrating international arms markets.
Recognizing this challenge, the US is undergoing a strategic shift as the Air Force transitions from isolated legacy platforms to interconnected human-machine teams optimized for rapid, precise, and highly lethal operations, according to the Eurasian Times.
At a recent Council on Foreign Relations event, US Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith outlined the service's strategic shift toward long-range precision strike capabilities and unmanned surveillance systems, moving away from conventional artillery while stressing that modern warfare will be decided by which side can detect and engage the adversary first.
To support this strategy, the Marine Corps has prioritized acquiring advanced systems such as the MQ-9 Reaper, an unmanned aircraft capable of extended surveillance missions and precision strikes.
“When I can sense and make sense of what’s going on,” Smith highlighted, “I can deter it before it escalates—or strike before it strikes me.”
Space becomes new frontline
“The threats to the homeland are growing—perhaps more than we’ve seen in a generation,” warned General B. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, drawing an image of what faces the US Space Forces.
During a recent defense forum, Saltzman warned that space has transitioned from a secure domain to a contested battlefield, highlighting how the PLA has fielded sophisticated anti-satellite capabilities aimed at disrupting critical US space infrastructure.
Saltzman warned that adversaries have developed targeted anti-space capabilities, expressing frustration over current defensive gaps while revealing the Space Force's new "Golden Dome" initiative, a next-generation system designed to protect US assets from orbital threats.
Far North takes stage
As Russia and China expand their Arctic operations, US capabilities in the region have deteriorated to what Coast Guard Admiral Kevin Lunday called postwar lows due to chronic underinvestment and critical shortages in ice-capable vessels.
Admiral Lunday stressed that the Arctic is emerging as a critical strategic domain where US influence depends on physical presence, emphasizing that as an Arctic nation, America must urgently strengthen its capabilities with icebreakers serving as the operational cornerstone.
Without swift reinvestment on this front, the United States risks a "strategic failure" in a critical region of the globe home to future trade routes, energy security, and great-power rivalry.
Taiwan remains central question
One year keeps appearing in discussions: 2027, considered by many as a potential turning point for a Chinese move on Taiwan. While Beijing has not announced any specific timeline, US military planners are beginning to treat it as a realistic window for possible confrontation.
Vice Admiral Kilby emphasized the importance of time as a critical factor that is often overlooked but deserves greater attention.
The Pentagon is shifting its focus away from preparing for a singular, conventional battle and toward anticipating a new kind of warfare that is rapid, decentralized, and seamlessly coordinated across multiple domains, as seen in the Air Force’s growing investments in unmanned systems, flexible basing strategies, and enhanced force mobility.
“The future fight isn’t about numbers—it’s about speed and cohesion,” General Allvin stated.
