 | ||
 | Reform Lite: Obama goes soft on pork | |
| Obama: Time to rein in earmarks | |
| Omnibus signing statement | |
| Dems announce earmark reforms | |
| Gays in the military: Is it time? | |
| How Low Can Roland Go? | |
| Robert Gibbbzzzz.... | |
| DE Sen: Castle Leads Biden | |
| Poll: Delaware Loves Its Dems | |
| A Digital 9/11 |
| Obama's Remarks on Earmark Reform | |
| The Future of Russia Goes on Trial | |
| Agree with Obama or You're an 'Ideologue' | |
| Behind the Cell Curve | |
| Obama's Gamble |
| Susan Rice's Testimony at Her U.N. Ambassador Hearing | |
| An Unreflective Man | |
| Bretton Woods II -- No Way | |
| Obama Skeptics in Asia |
October 26, 2008
Drawing Up a Pacific Vision
By Richard HalloranHONOLULU - In a war-game run by the Pacific Air Forces here, the aviators concluded that US air power would be sufficient to defeat a "near-peer competitor" in the Asia-Pacific region over the next seven years-provided a strategy of dispersal was adopted and certain investments are made.
For the "near-peer competitor" in the war-game called "Pacific Vision," read China. Air Force officers cautioned, however, that an adversary could also be a resurgent Russia. In any case, the war game was intended not only to test strategic plans but to deter China and Russia from miscalculating US power and intentions, a priority for US commanders in this region.
General Carroll "Howie" Chandler, who commands the Pacific Air Forces, or PACAF, said in an interview: "I asked them to look at what we think we need to carry out our mission, particularly when we have finite resources." A staff officer said the general, in effect, "asked us to tell him where he should spend his next dollar."
In contrast to PACAF'S upbeat assessment, the publication Defense News reported this week that a study by RAND, the research organization in California, suggested that "US air power in the Pacific would be inadequate to thwart a Chinese attack on Taiwan in 2020." Disagreement over Taiwan, the island claimed by China but informally allied with the US, is the most likely cause of hostilities between the US and China.
Among the conclusions drawn from the week-long Pacific Vision were:
Dispersal: Before hostilities begin, US fighters, bombers, and aerial tankers should be dispersed to bases along an arc anchored in Alaska and wending south through Japan and South Korea, the US territory in Guam, and on to Southeast Asia and Australia. Said one officer: "This would complicate targeting for an adversary."
Access: Starting now, the US should intensify efforts to cultivate nations along that arc, including treaty allies such as Japan and South Korea, to assure access to bases within their borders and the freedom to operate from them in the event of hostilities.
Hardening: Aircraft hangers, command posts, electrical plants, ammunition depots, and supply warehouses should be hardened to withstand attack, particularly from missiles rapidly being acquired or developed by China.
Repair: Crews and equipment to repair damaged bases should be trained and positioned so they can move quickly to bases where they are needed. Airfield runways, for instance, would need to be repaired within hours of suffering damage.
Tankers: The aging of the Air Force's tankers has been documented. Because of long distances in the Pacific, more tankers would be needed to defend this region than were needed in Europe to deter the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Stealth: Pacific Vision validated the advantages of stealth technology that permits B-2 bombers and F-22 fighters to evade radar detection. "We are sure that we can shoot them before they can see us," said a staff officer.
Communications: The war-game underscored the vulnerability of communications because the Air Force relies on unprotected commercial channels. Moreover, China knocked down an inactive satellite in 2007 with an anti-satellite missile.
Integration: The US Navy's aircraft carriers and submarines armed with cruise missiles were would need to be dispersed like land-based aircraft. The Navy was represented in the war-game but Air Force officers said more work was needed to fully integrate war plans.
Intelligence: Pacific Vision confirmed the need for Global Hawk, the large unmanned reconnaissance plane that can fly for a long way and cover 40,000 square miles a day in all weather. The first of three Global Hawks is due to be stationed on Guam next year.
Cyber Warfare: Players in the war-game discovered that the US has lagged in cyber warfare, which includes all manner of electronic operations, from jamming enemy radar to attacking computer networks as well as protecting US radar and computers. China has emphasized cyber operations.
Control: The Air Operations Center in the 13th Air Force, which is next door to and part of PACAF, has been up and running for two years. PACAF and 13th Air Force fight the aerial war in Asia and the Pacific through this center, which still needs to improve controls over PACAF's widely dispersed forces.
After PACAF officers have digested the lessons learned in Pacific Vision, they plan to incorporate them into operations and to feed them to Air Force trainers. A PACAF officer asserted: "We've maintained a long period of peace because we continually prepare for war. That's what Pacific Vision was all about."
