U.S. Indo-Pacific Command on Monday (March 1, 2021) submitted a budget report to Congress urging it to double funding for the Pacific Deterrent Program to address China’s growing security challenges.
According to a summary of the report obtained by Defense Daily, Indo-Pacific Command proposes to increase funding for the Pacific Deterrent Program from $2.2 billion in fiscal year 2021 to $4.6 billion in fiscal year 2022, and plans to spend $27.3 billion on the program over the next five years.
Indo-Pacific Command plans to use the funds to acquire new missile defense systems, deploy radar stations and new communications satellites, and build new training bases in the Indo-Pacific region. The report explained to Congress that the U.S. needs to establish a precision strike combat network that can withstand enemy attack in the first island chain of the Western Pacific, deploy a ground-based SHIELD missile defense system in Guam, deploy a tactical multifunctional radar in the Pacific island nation of Palau, and establish multiple operational area training bases throughout the region so U.S. and allied forces can train together and fight together.
Referring to the report, Admiral Phil Davidson, commander of Indo-Pacific Command, said Monday at a defense forum in the state of Hawaii, “We have to convince Beijing that the cost of using force to achieve our goals is simply too high.”
In the final year of the Trump administration, Congress launched the new Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI) when it passed the National Defense Authorization Act. In a summary of the bill, the Senate Armed Services Committee said, “‘The Pacific Deterrence Initiative’ will send a strong signal to China and any potential adversaries, as well as to our allies and partners, that the United States is deeply committed to defending our interests in that region.”
Shortly after taking office, President Biden personally visited the Pentagon to announce the creation of the China Working Group, which is intended to examine the U.S. strategic and military posture in the Indo-Pacific region to address the growing challenge posed by China. Defense Secretary Austin said during his Senate confirmation hearing in January that China is “the most worrisome competitor we face.
Defense watchers believe indications are that the Biden Administration will maintain a tough stance on China and that maintaining a strong U.S. military presence in the Indo-Pacific region is key to implementing this strategy.
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