The United States Air Force is raising concerns that China may be developing its military capabilities in preparation for a potential conflict with the United States.
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall commented on Monday, urging America to optimize its forces and be prepared for “a type of warfare we have not witnessed before,” while emphasizing that war is not inevitable.
“Our job is to deter that war and to be ready to win if it occurs,” Kendall said according to the Air Force’s military website.
“We’re all talking about the fact that the Air and Space Forces must change, or we could fail to prevent and might even lose a war.”
Kendall asserted that it was essential for the United States to ready itself for war, given China’s fast-paced development of its forces.
Notably, two new military branches have been established by China: one aimed at countering aircraft carriers, airfields, and other vital assets; and another providing strategic support to gain information superiority in space and cyber realms.
In addition, Kendall commented that “China has been strategically optimizing its forces with the intention of outcompeting the U.S. in the Western Pacific for over two decades.”
“China has been building a military capability specifically designed to achieve their national goals and to do so if opposed by the United States,” he added.
The Air Force and Space Force are equipped with remarkable capabilities, yet we must strive to optimize the Department to better prepare for major power competition.
According to remarks made by Kendall, if the current power projection capability and capacity are insufficient to deter Chinese aggression against Taiwan or other regions, war could occur.
