The U.S. military is getting ready to leave Iraq and Afghanistan. The next threat is much bigger/…/ Highlighting one of the fastest military buildups in history was China's debut of its stealth jet just hours before the January visit to Beijing by outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates. The fighter will rival the U.S.'s F-22 Raptor, the world's only operational stealth fighter. Larger than the F-22, with bigger fuel tanks, it will fly higher, faster and with less chance of detection. It's one of many Chinese weapons that will impede the U.S. military's ability to roam freely in the region. An Asian arms race is getting under way, driven by China /…/
Of course, the U.S. must respond as well. Incoming Defense Secretary Panetta has stressed that the U.S. "must be prepared" for adversaries armed with air-defense systems, long-range ballistic missiles, and anti-ship cruise missiles. That means it needs to modernize long-range strike and surveillance capabilities/…/
Expect to hear the term "AirSea Battle" more often. It's a concept promoted by the independent think tank Center for Strategic & Budgetary Assessments. This strategy would integrate U.S. air and naval forces to defeat enemies with sophisticated abilities to deny them access. The idea would be to develop ways to blind satellites and defend against or attack with long-range strikes. It's a defense against both China and Iran.