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Senior military officials told lawmakers today that the United States stands ready to deter strategic and space-based threats, but continued investment is critical as competition increases.
Air Force Gen. Anthony J. Cotton, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, and Gen. Stephen N. Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, said recent investments by Russia and China are essential to maintaining U.S. strategic advantage. He said it highlights one thing.
“The most important message I want to convey today is that the forces under my command are prepared to deter our adversaries and to respond decisively when deterrence fails,” Cotton said in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee. That means there is.” “No enemy should doubt our capabilities today.”
But these abilities should not be taken for granted, he said.
“We are doing this in the face of challenges unlike anything the United States has ever encountered,” Cotton said. “We are dealing with nuclear powers, the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China. These realities combine to [with] North Korea’s missile development, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and growing ties between these countries further complicate our strategic calculations. ”
Cotton pointed to the accelerating pace of China’s development of fixed intercontinental ballistic missile launchers and predictions that China’s nuclear arsenal could reach nearly 1,000 warheads by 2030. .
He also highlighted recent statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin that 95% of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces have been modernized.
“The bottom line is that our competitors are improving their position in multiple areas relative to the United States and its allies at a pace that far exceeds what we saw just a few years ago,” he said. .
Mr. Whiting also described the progress of U.S. competitors in challenging U.S. dominance in space.
He noted that China’s intelligence satellite constellation has grown to more than 359 systems as of January, and its space-based intelligence gathering presence has more than tripled since 2018.
“Space and counterspace systems have dramatically increased our ability to monitor, track, and target U.S. and allied forces both on the ground and in orbit,” Whiting said.
Whiting said Russia also continues to develop and test space and anti-satellite capabilities.
Both leaders told lawmakers that continued investment in strategic and space-based capabilities is critical.
“While our nation’s legacy systems continue to put potential adversaries at risk, it is critical that we continue to accelerate as we modernize our nuclear triad,” Cotton said.
The 2022 Nuclear Posture Review identified modernizing the United States’ nuclear arsenal as a top priority for maintaining a strong nuclear deterrent.
Modernization efforts over the next two decades include efforts to modernize all three nuclear pillars.
Whiting also said that while the United States “remains the world’s premier military space power,” its current architecture is “optimized for operating in a favorable space environment.”
“To ensure success in the conflicted space environment we currently find ourselves in, the U.S. Space Force must be fully tested and trained by 2027, with improved capabilities and “It’s important to provide the capacity,” he said. “While conflict in space is not inevitable, it is undoubtedly devastating and will disrupt our use of space for decades.
“We must be prepared in case deterrence fails,” he said.
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