China Alarmists

History is repeating itself and a new land power is seeking its “rightful” place on the world’s oceans. China is rapidly expanding its Navy to match its booming economy, and causing alarm in western naval circles. Naturally America and Britain should be ever vigilant to any threat to their naval mastery, but also ignore alarmists and hysterics. The transformation of the Army should continue and acquisition of UAVs should be accelerated. The Navy shouldn’t neglect plans for a new “Brown Water” fleet, or the renewed emphasis on anti-submarine warfare in littoral regions. Expeditionary forces should be maintained, but in smaller numbers, as the Army becomes more airmobile with the purchase of light armored vehicles (LAVs), and the Air Force adds precision guided munitions to its fleet of long-range bombers. The Tomahawk missiles have displaced aircraft carriers for long distance attack, but not for close air support. The Navy can cheaply and effectively ensure its sea dominance by maintaining and improving its cruise missile ships, of which there are now more than 100.