The military is undermanned in the Pacific region, which could put the United States at a “distinct disadvantage” should a conflict break out with China, according to Sen. Josh Hawley.
Hawley expressed these concerns to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper in a letter obtained by the Washington Examiner dated Sept. 30. The Missouri Republican commended the Pentagon’s commitment to prioritizing the Pacific region but grilled the department for failing to address the Chinese threat as it continues to implement the National Defense Strategy in its early years.
“Simply put, I am concerned the Joint Force has not sufficiently evolved its capabilities, operational concepts, or posture to maintain credible deterrence with respect to China and a favorable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region, more broadly,” Hawley wrote.
Hawley, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he is particularly concerned with the high concentration of U.S. forces at bases in northeast Asia that have been in use since World War II.
“Given China’s large arsenal of advanced ballistic and cruise missiles and increasingly capable conventional strike forces, any conflict with China today would place U.S. forces at a distinct disadvantage, at least in the early stages, with overconcentrated critical assets at extreme risk of attack,” Hawley wrote. “This is a major vulnerability that undermines the credibility of U.S. deterrence.”
Hawley called for “sufficient numbers” of combat forces in the Pacific region, along with the bases, operating locations, and logistical networks they require. He pointed out that the Pentagon responded to a similar situation before, when it increased the number of forces in Europe in response to Russian aggression in Ukraine.
The Pentagon did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment regarding the letter.
Adm. Phil Davidson, commander of the Indo-Pacific Command, warned in July that China will surpass his forces in the region unless some significant changes are made in Washington.
“We run the risk, if we don’t take proactive action, that China will indeed surpass our capabilities in the middle of the next decade,” Davidson said during a talk at the Aspen Security Forum.
Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Robert Burke said on Friday these concerns are being included in discussions about the Navy’s fleet numbers.
“They’re not slowing down,” Burke said during a talk at the Military Reporters and Editors conference. “We’ll have to continue to do the same.”
The Navy, which is the primary military force in the Pacific, is in the midst of expanding its fleet to 355 ships from the current 290, per the Trump administration’s directive. Undersecretary of the Navy Thomas Modly said in September he expects the fleet will reach somewhere between 305 to 308, based on current budgets.
