UK’s Starmer hoping for Biden, preparing for Trump – Asia Times

Keir Starmer, the UK’s new prime minister, was calm on the topic of relations with the US due to his vote, choosing to prevent, in particular, speak of how he would handle a second Donald Trump presidency.

Starmer is a center-left politician, the first to rule the UK for over ten years, so his opinions do n’t really align with Trump’s. However, the US presidential election is only a few months away, and depending on the outcome, the connection between the UK and the US was differ significantly.

The new American government will be focusing on how to prepare for Trump’s possible resumption of office in January 2025 following the first US vote conversation and Joe Biden’s subpar performance. And while Starmer has kept quiet in private, his and his best crew had spent some time planning behind the scenes.

They made a lot of energy before becoming leaders in the US. This is a well-traveled-about way for UK Labour officials, which was most notably demonstrated by the close friendship between Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, and Bill Clinton in the 1990s.

Amazingly, Starmer and his foreign minister, David Lammy, have been trying to build ties on both sides of the aisle. On US trips, they have spoken with both Republicans and Democrats, as well as Biden.

Lammy, who was the first dark European man to study at Harvard Law School and practice law in the US after college, just stated in a statement that the unique relationship is” key not just to our own national protection, but the safety of much of the earth.”

He said that the two sides must work together “whoever is in the White House,” in response to a query about previous remarks he had made about Trump.

Lammy speaking to members of the international press days before the election. &nbsp, Image: Alamy / Zuma Press via The Talk

The respondent may have been referring to Lammy’s comments about Trump being a “racist KKK and Nazi sympathizer” before he became a minister. Lammy also said he would take to the roads if Trump was allowed to enter the UK.

Lammy’s careful response to questioning today reflects his much more tempered attitude toward the subject since it first appeared as though Labour could actually gain strength, and he may be a member of the cabinet.

Proving the UK is valuable

Starmer may attempt to demonstrate the relevance of the UK in the US-UK empire. With Biden, this will be very program. But, Starmer would need to demonstrate this significance to those who are close to Trump in the event of a Trump victory in November, which is a more challenging work.

Socially, Starmer can support US administrations manage relations with NATO, encouraging more anxious members, such as Germany, whilst restraining some of the more strategic NATO members pushing to increase the alliance.

Starmer will also need to work with European allies to demonstrate the relevance of NATO to the US in light of Trump’s stated commitment to reevaluating the purpose of NATO.

Militarily, the UK has to demonstrate intent to restore the armed forces, especially after the US declared that the UK military was no longer a” top- tier” military partner.

Doing so would demonstrate that the new British government is paying attention to its American allies and would also demonstrate that the UK plans to be able to deploy its military to support US and NATO operations. Trump has repeatedly cited his reluctance to use the US military and his belief that allies are more responsible for the military burden.

Starmer will be negotiating with President Biden until the November presidential election. After a recent D-Day celebration and less than a week after taking office, Starmer will meet Biden once more as prime minister at a Nato summit.

Starmer will have to tread carefully in this area, just like he does for other world leaders. Given that Trump has a vehement dislike for his successor, having a close relationship with the Biden administration could be challenging when attempting to establish trust with any incoming Trump administration.

Since taking office, Biden has set out his foreign policy priorities, including guardrails on the relationship with Russia, and competition with China. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, these guardrails flew off. The Biden administration has nevertheless established clear priorities and was able to coordinate international assistance for Ukraine.

In contrast, Trump has given little insight into how he would approach foreign policy. He has stated he will “end” the conflict in Ukraine, but he has not provided any specifics about how.

We are aware that he wants to stop funding Ukraine’s defense efforts and that he wants European allies to pay for the replenishment of US military equipment. Additionally, he has pledged to support Hamas ‘ conflict in Gaza, which has caused a Starmer’s party’s leadership since the election, which has caused a rift between the two countries.

During his first term, Democratic leaders from all over the world struggled to deal with Trump. They typically had to ignore the controversy that had surrounded him or use them as a justification for Trump. The former US president’s preference for” strongmen” was repeatedly on show.

It would be nearly impossible for Starmer to imitate those who roll out the red carpet and parade through the streets of Trump’s preferred style. Given that the UK’s free speech laws prohibit protests against Trump if he were to visit, and they are practically unavoidable given what transpired last time he was there.

Starmer would do his best to stay away from Trump’s state visit, which might include meeting with the king.

The Trumps on a state visit to the United Kingdom in 2019. &nbsp, Photo: EPA/EFE/Stringer via The Conversation

The implications for the” special relationship” are obvious: demonstrating the value of the UK will be much simpler for Starmer in a Biden presidency than in a Trump presidency. Starmer would feel compelled to take action against Trump’s refusal to support it, which would further undermine the US-UK alliance.

The new government of the UK has been discussing potential relations with either a Republican or a Democratic president. Starmer will be hoping for the predictability of Biden while planning for the chaos of Trump, as will be the case for many world leaders.

Christopher Featherstone is Associate Lecturer, Department of Politics, University of York

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All sides aiming for a long war of attrition in Ukraine – Asia Times

An earlier expectation of a significant Russian victory has been replaced by the fact of a grinding war of attrition in Ukraine after more than 26 weeks of devastating battle. &nbsp,

” Putin’s principle of success is to make creeping improvements in Ukraine indefinitely”, &nbsp, wrote the Institute for the Study of War, a secret US defense think tank. The plan is designed to “protract the warfare” with the aim of “destroying Ukrainian statehood”, ISW concluded.

Putin’s authentic goal, to stop Ukraine’s integration with the West, remains the same as it was when he first launched his thus- called” special defense operation” in February 2022. In addition, Kiev is also hopeful of joining the European Union and NATO in light of the growing threat of invasion and a total sacking of its territory.

Both sides are therefore girding for an available- ended, long- pull issue, analysts say. Ukraine’s American allies believe Kiev may surpass Moscow’s assaults on civil and military goals, so long as it receives adequate weapons.

Ukraine and the West must develop a succinct “grand strategy …aimed at inflicting unacceptable damage on Russia,” according to the Royal United Services Institute ( RUSI), a think tank with headquarters in London. The objectives may include bringing” Russia to a position of inability/unwillingness to continue the war,” according to RUSI.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin first suggested a similar goal early in the war. We want to see Russia so weakened that it ca n’t carry out the actions it has done invading Ukraine, according to Austin.

In response to Putin’s threat to employ nuclear weapons, US President Joe Biden after rejected the idea of bringing Russia to its knees or that it would deteriorate into chaos in the face of battle.

In any case, Austin has never repeated the goal of an all- out success. Additionally, the US lowered its supply of weapons to Kiev in order to aid in its defenses by producing arms in response to Russian actions rather than attempting to defuse an advance increase.

Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, opposes the idea of an attrition conflict. Even though an attempt to remove Russia from eastern Ukraine failed last time, he wants to launch a significant battle this year. ” Yes, we have a counteroffensive program. We’ll undoubtedly prevail. We have no alternative”, he said back in April.

What Zelensky and other Western critics have called a “drip-drip” plan of arms supply a “drip-drip” plan have caused scorn from Zelensky and others. &nbsp,

Biden has faced unfavorable front-firing from the Russian president, but not the EU. He criticized European countries in March for alleged poor artillery supply. ” Ammunitions is a vital issue”, he said. ” Europe can provide more. &nbsp, And it is important to show this now”.

Another issue is the ban on the use of weaponry supplied by the allies. After weeks of devastating Russian rocket strikes on Kharkov in Ukraine, Biden lifted the US’s ban on using US weapons to attack targets inside Russia, just to target a remote region close to the border.

Zelensky has been frustrated by repeated delivery delays because unresolved problems have destroyed civilian infrastructure and military ‘ life. On May 13, Selensky requested a attack inside of Russia. On May 31, just Zelensky’s public complaint the week before was granted, and it was only after she had filed a lawsuit.

So, who is winning this impending war of attrition? Surely, Putin has made constant efforts to thicken alliances with polite countries. They are content to support a Russia that is determined to defeat a shared enemy in the United States, even if they do n’t share his obsession with Ukraine.

Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping traveled to Kazakhstan on Thursday ( July 4 ) for a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional organization. In Kazakhstan, Xi urged the ten- participant group to” combine the power of unification” in the face of” the true issue of intervention and section”.

In his statement, Xi made no mention of Ukraine, and neither did the Chinese media outlets that reported on the appointment. The focus of the Xinhua news agency was on how China and Russia are unwavering in their resistance to Western “pressure.”

China is also optimistic about backing Russia’s war in Ukraine. It provides parts and tools to Russian companies that produce only defense technology.

Just before Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Beijing and Moscow announced a” low limits” relationship. After the war and presently prolonged battle, Xi has apparently dropped the” no limits” explanation of relations, preferring to explain their near relations as a “friendship”.

Xi has also taken care to support a peace in Ukraine, which is in line with many of China’s business partners in Europe. And he has continuously echoed the Russian assertion that the battle is primarily due to NATO’s growth.

The conflict has benefitted Beijing directly. Since the start of the war, its deal with Russia has more than doubled, the majority of which has involved the purchase of gas products at discount rates. Despite a kind of declared independence, likely to avoid Western restrictions, China has also supplied Russia with components for use in arms produce.

Putin traveled to North Korea last month and wrote a” complete strategic partnership agreement” that pledged Russia would assist in the event that North Korea is attacked. A similar agreement was reached to change rockets for North Korean technology for Russian military resources.

Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, referred to the contract as an “alliance.” Putin was evidently more cautious by using the term “partnership” to describe the relationship. In any case, the two countries made it possible to restock Russia’s jet products with North Korean artillery and missiles.

In brief, between China and North Korea, along with military aircraft materials from Iran, there is no more talk in the West of Russia running out of munitions.

Zelensky, also, has been barnstorming the world in search of arms and political help. He held a peace conference just in Zurich, where some 80 participants signed a declaration reaffirming Ukraine’s regional morality.

But, important places did not participate: China stayed away, as did Brazil, India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. Ukraine’s European allies, however, pledged to deliver extended- awaited aircraft bombers to support Ukraine contest its air space against Soviet planes.

The allies also agreed to close the EU’s frequently disjointed help by appointing NATO to manage training and arrange arms deliveries. All NATO’s 32 people, not just the most ardent supporters of Ukraine—for occasion, the US, France, Poland and the European states bordering Russia—will been expected to contribute.

In a statement from NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in June, the choice aims to “put our aid to Ukraine on a firmer standing, for years to come.” The US will also provide a large hand: General Chris Cavoli, who leads the US military’s German Command, will mind the effort.

However, the rapid deterioration of essential ally governments in Europe may be a potential disturbing concern for Ukraine.

President Emmanuel Macron may have to veto some of the same authority in France as a far-right group that when opposed Russian punishment. People of a burgeoning far-right gathering in Germany have been accused of having ties to the Kremlin and accepting money from China.

The death of Joe Biden, whose campaign aims to win reelection have been thwarted by complaints about inflation, a rise in illegal immigration, and violence, as well as concerns about his mental abilities following a conversation performance that raised questions about his superior age, is more worrying for Ukraine.

His possible successor, former president Donald Trump, who once called Putin a “genius”, is leading in election opinion polls. He has n’t stated how he might handle the US support for Kiev. He did, however, make numerous blatant remark during the televised debate with Bide last week about how terrible the war is.

He promised to resolve the Ukraine conflict “before he took office” in January 2025, but he provided no specifics on how he would do it.

&nbsp, Zelensky replied testily. ” If Trump knows how to end this war he should tell us today”, Zelensky told an interviewer. ” Because if there are risks to Ukraine’s independence, if there are risks that we lose statehood, we want to be prepared for this”.

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Amazon building Australia a billion-dollar military intel cloud – Asia Times

The Asian Signals Directorate, the organization responsible for foreign signals knowledge and information security, has signed an AUD$ 2 billion ( US$ 1.35 billion ) agreement with Amazon. A Major Key Cloud may be constructed by a local affiliate of Amazon Web Services to provide secure data storage for military intelligence.

The deal may safely manage leading- key data vital to Australia’s nationwide security. More than ten years are anticipated to be in this agreement. In Australia, it will construct three safe data centres at unnamed areas.

This initiative will “bolster our security and nationwide intelligence group so they can provide world-leading protection for our nation,” according to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

The initiative, which is scheduled to start in 2027, is expected to result in more than 2,000 jobs and generate billion in operating costs. Thus – why Amazon? Does Australia actually require it?

Why is a key cloud necessary in Australia?

Australia faces a rising flood of safety issues. A wide range of potential risks must be protected by the ability to safely shop military intelligence.

The director-general of the Australian Signs Directorate, Rachel Noble, stated that the project may provide a” state-of-the-art collaborative space for our brains and defense community to store and get top secret data.

The sky is furthermore part of the directorate’s REDSPICE plan, which aims to improve Australia’s knowledge skills and computer threats. Australia is better safeguard its sensitive data by switching to a cutting-edge cloud system. Additionally, it may increase security agency coordination.

Why Amazon Web Services?

You may only be aware of Amazon as a major website retailer. Amazon Web Services ( AWS ) is a tech subsidiary of Amazon. It was a true trailblazer in the cloud service sector.

It provides cloud computing services to tens of thousands of companies and governments around the world today.

AWS’s market share among the top ten cloud providers grew to 50.1 % in 2024. The next two largest suppliers are Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Known for its stability, scalability and security, AWS now provides related services to various governments and organizations worldwide. The United States Department of Defense, the CIA, as well as all three of the intelligence services of the United Kingdom, are included in this list.

Does the new cloud be protected?

When we think of” the cloud,” we frequently picture the internet we use every day.

Nevertheless, the Top Secret Cloud that AWS will develop for Australia’s government is quite different. It’s a secret, very secure system fully insulated from the open internet.

While AWS is the company, the data centers may be built to the American Signal Directorate’s features.

Data will be protected by sophisticated encryption in the sky. No program is entirely secure against hacking, but this configuration makes it extremely difficult for unauthorised users to access the data.

The American government has emphasized that it will continue to have complete control over the statistics that is stored in the cloud. On the job, simply employees with high-level security clearance will work.

Broader craze

This transition to a safe cloud is a part of a wider trend in military and government systems around the world.

Some nations are updating their outdated computer systems to make the most of modern engineering. This can provide greater versatility, better performance, and possibly lower prices in the long run.

The initiative also has global implications. Collaboration with partner countries may be made easier thanks to The Bottom Key Cloud.

Similar statistics clouds have already been established in the US and the UK, facilitating the exchange of significant amounts of data between friends. It’s important to point out that possible opponents are also making significant investments in similar systems.

Australia aims to stay ahead of the curve in the fast expanding computer threat landscape by creating this Best Key Cloud. More nations will likely follow similar sky systems for their security and intelligence needs in the coming years.

David Tuffley is Older Lecturer in Applied Ethics &amp, CyberSecurity, Griffith University

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China’s space economy plan coming into celestial view – Asia Times

June 25, 2024, marked a novel “first” in the history of flight. Samples of stone from a massive feature on the moon, the South Pole–Aitken basin, were returned to Earth by China’s mechanical Chang’e 6 spacecraft.

After touching down on the moon’s “far side”, on the southern rim of the Apollo crater, Chang’e 6 came back with around 1.9 kilograms of rock and soil, according to the China National Space Administration ( CNSA ).

The future China-led International Lunar Research Station ( ILRS ) will be located at the Moon’s south pole. An ad hoc type of international area firm is working on this really global initiative, which includes partners like Russia, Venezuela, South Africa, and Egypt.

China has a long-term strategy to create a room business and become the dominant force in this area. It intends to look for and find minerals in asteroids and bodies like the sun, as well as to employ waters ice and any other valuable space resources that are present in our Solar System.

China intends to first explore the moon and then the near-Earth objects ( NEOs ), or NEOs, asteroids. Then, using the stable gravitational points known as Lagrange points for its space stations, it will travel to Mars, the asteroids between Mars and Jupiter ( known as the main belt asteroids ), and Jupiter’s moons.

Model of Chang'e 6 spacecraft
Model of Chang’e 6 aircraft. Photo: Scharfsinn / Shutterstock via The Talk

One of China’s subsequent steps in this approach, the mechanical Chang’e 7 goal, is expected to launch in 2026. It may land quite close to the lunar south pole on the lighted rim of the planet’s Shackleton crater.

In a place where the sun’s position casts long shadows that mysterious much of the landscape, the rim of this huge crater has a point that is frequently illuminated.

Its attractiveness as a landing page is primarily reflected in the crater’s designs, both visually and in terms of accessibility. Because the water can be used for drinking water, air, and jet fuel, the great resources of water ice in these shadowed holes may be crucial for building and running the ILRS.

The US also wants to establish outposts at the star’s south pole, which is primary real estate, so it is a brave move. A after Chinese vision, Chang’e 8, will aim to extract snow and additional resources and demonstrate that it’s possible to use them to assist a human outpost. It’s currently scheduled for no later than 2028.

Both Chang’e 7 and 8 are regarded as belonging to ILRS and will provide the framework for a formidable Chinese investigation software.

For the 2020 Artemis Accords, an international agreement, NASA is already looking for new partners. These describe how assets for the sun should be used, and 43 nations have so far signed up.

Yet, the US Artemis programme, which aims to gain people to the moon this century, has been hit with disruptions due to technical problems.

Artemis astronaut
Additionally, the US intends to get its explorers at the solar south pole. Photo: NASA via The Talk

Any intricate fresh place system will likely experience delays. The second vision, Artemis II, has been postponed until September 2025, with the goal of carrying astronauts around the moon without making an initial landing. The launch of Artemis III, which will bring the earliest people to the moon since Apollo, is scheduled for September 2026.

China may delay its plans to get people on the sky by 2030, though this Artemis timeline may veer even further. Some observers have even questioned whether the Eastern power would be able to bring the US to the moon.

Geopolitics in room

Does the US land people on the Moon before the tenet is over? I think thus. Before 2030, will China be able to do the same? I have some doubts, but this is not the place.

China’s area plan is consistently expanding and growing at the same time. Its missions appear to have avoided the major technical difficulties that other businesses have encountered, or perhaps they are simply not being discussed.

Tiangong space station
China has a completely crewed space station, called Tiangong, in Earth circle. Photo: Alejo Miranda / Shutterstock via The Talk

What we know for sure is that China’s present space station, Tiangong– which translates as” Heavenly Palace” – is operating at an ordinary altitude of 400 kilometers.

By the end of the decade, it will be permanently inhabited by at least three taikonauts ( Chinese astronauts ). By the time this happens, the International Space Station, orbiting at the same altitude, will be decommissioned and sent on a fiery descent into the Pacific Ocean.

Geopolitics is now a major force in space exploration in a way that has n’t likely been seen since the 1950s and 1960s space race. It’s possible that the Chang’e 7 and Chang’e 8 missions from China and the US Artemis III missions both want to land at the same location close to the Shackleton crater.

There may be no other option but for China and the US to exchange plans and to use this renewed era of space exploration as a new era in diplomacy because only the crater rims can theoretically serve as good landing sites.

While maintaining national priorities, the two superpowers, together with their partners, may have to agree on common principles when it comes to exploring the moon.

China has come a long way since its first satellite, DongFangHong 1, was launched on April 24, 1970. China was not a participant in the first space race to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s. It is undoubtedly now.

Bocconi University’s Space Economy Evolution Lab is led by Simonetta Di Pippo.

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Russia toughens draft law to bolster war’s lethal frontlines – Asia Times

Legislation is being introduced in Russia to close the gaps that those who want to avoid the draft can use.

Up until now, it has been fairly simple in Russia to draft review. The only thing people had to do was get a document review notice so they could prevent military service.

Moving without letting the authorities know a recent target would prevent it from being delivered was one choice. The document see may be considered served a year after it has been posted digitally on a federal website, so this new legislation closes that gap.

During the “partial” military mobilization in 2022, the Russian government’s failure to communicate conscription data with border-crossing posts also had an impact. This incident mobilization drafted 300, 000 troops to be sent to Ukraine to counter Russia’s deficits on the field.

However, Moscow was unable to prevent young people who feared being drafted from leaving in large amounts. Some publications reported 700, 000 persons leaving in September 2022 only. Moscow intends to prevent this emigration from occurring again as the conflict in Ukraine continues.

What adjustments?

Document notices will also be collated starting on November 1st, 2024, along with other information the government holds about its citizens, such as tax information, legal information, or property, so that officials can maintain a full profile of that individual and what they do, and monitor their movements more carefully.

The most notable shift is, however, how review finds will be served. They wo n’t continue to rely on a paper form being delivered to a physical address. These will be filed online starting in November, and they will be regarded as delivered even if the recipients have not received the see or have not had access to it.

The second conscription campaign of the year, known in Russia as the autumn draft ( osennij prizyv ), is most likely to be affected by this legal change. The large number of people escaping the document has presented a major challenge to Moscow because the conflict in Ukraine is showing no signs of coming to an end. According to estimates from the UK state, nearly 900 troops are killed each day in Russia, with the loss of nearly half a million lives on the rise.

In light of this, Moscow is determined to increase the number of soldiers enlisted and stop the flow of those who leave outside of its edges to prevent being drafted. Except for a few specific circumstances where women can be drafted in certain professions ( doctors, radiologists, and map specialists ), men typically fall into the age range of 18 to 27. ( Although at some point, the maximum age for conscription could be raised to 30. )

Border makes will be able to get all of this online information once the changes are implemented, giving them the ability to quickly determine whether someone should be permitted to leave Russia. People who received a document see online may be prohibited from crossing any boundary.

Russians departing their land and heading for Georgia after President Putin made a document announcement. &nbsp, Photo: AP / Alamy via The Talk

A flood of absences?

Before the new law becomes effective in November, these upcoming modifications have the potential to cause a new frontier command this summers.

The new system has the potential to make the Russian authorities use this new database to record its residents more precisely. Without the authorities catching up with them, it would be more difficult for those who try to avoid the document to keep an online presence, hold bank accounts, or even own a vehicle.

Anyone who wants to keep or avoid the draft will have to devise more sophisticated avoidance strategies than those that have already been employed.

Russians may consider the Soviet-style draft evasion strategy, whereby people could purchase bogus disability certificates and other “official” documents to avoid being conscripted due to corruption within local authorities and health facilities. Russian military corruption is a pervasive problem, but new avenues like these could quickly emerge.

Despite new debate about resumeing peace talks, these changes suggest that Moscow may be getting ready for a long fight in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin has stated that if Ukraine agrees to the Kremlin’s conditions, Russia will stop the conflict.

However, the planning for the 2024 fall recruitment plan may indicate that this is not the main plan, as Moscow continues to make, and react, its military planning.

Anastassiya Mahon is Associate Lecturer in Security Studies, Department of International Politics, Aberystwyth University

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Backlash rising to Marcos Jr’s pro-US policy pivot – Asia Times

The Philippines and China have resumed diplomatic relations in a charge to relieve extremely rising conflicts in the South China Sea following last season’s near-fatal fight over the disputed Second Thomas Shoal.

According to a statement released by the Philippines ‘ Department of Foreign Affairs on July 2, Ma Theresa Lazaro and Chen Xiaodong, the two men had “frank and creative” discussions during the most recent round of the so-called Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM).

Both parties “affirmed their devotion to deescalate tensions without prejudice to their individual opportunities” during their first BCM in six month, a risky time that has resulted in numerous near-collisions in the contested waters and ramped up bellicose language. Nevertheless, the statement said,” ]despite ] substantial progress on developing measures to manage the situation at sea…significant differences remain”.

Asian President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is under increasing pressure on a number of sides in response to his difficult reversal to the United States and other standard supporters in response to China’s rising sea confidence in the South China Sea. Manila is exceedingly seen as joining America’s group of like-minded governments in a fight with a rival alliance led by China and Russia. &nbsp,

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned smaller state against becoming America’s” satellite state” in his most recent televised address, as Moscow was likely to encounter resistance from Moscow. &nbsp,

” Now, it is well known that the United States currently exports these missile systems to Europe for training, to Denmark. Very recently, it was announced that they are ]also] in the Philippines”, Putin said, referring to the Pentagon’s extraordinary implementation of the US Typhon Weapon System in the Philippines back of their mutual Balikatan more earlier this year.

The express- of- the- craft weapons program, capable of firing Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles and SM- 6 anti- plane missiles, boasts an operating range of up to 2, 500 kilometers. The standing and current location of the dangerous missile system have been kept under wraps by Asian authorities.

Some people believe it may be permanently positioned in the nation as a result of the recently expanded Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement ( EDCA ), which grants the US rotational access to a growing number of Philippine military installations and bases.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ( R ) attend a meeting at the Pentagon on May 3, 2023. Photo: US Defense Department / Jack Sanders

In response, a rising song of Filipino voices has stepped up censure of the US Pentagon’s expanding military footprints in the country. The Marcos Jr. management has been accused by some liberal groups of undermining the nation’s sovereignty by blatantly supporting China in favor of the West and Japan.

Former senator Carlos Isagani Zarate, who hails from Bayan Muna’s left-leaning party, recently criticised the government for its” US satellite-like international policy,” which has led to a renewed nuclear arms race.

We demand that the Marcos management adhere to the terms of the Philippines’s constitution, which prohibit the development of a free and non-nuclear military force, and other measures. Pro- Beijing elements have likewise stepped up their criticism of the present administration’s international policy.

Main among them is former president &nbsp, Rodrigo Duterte, who&nbsp, has gone so far as to criticise his son of allowing the Philippines to be “used” by Washington in a supposed “proxy war” against China. With his child, Vice President Sara Duterte, just resigning from Marcos Jr’s government, the former president has successfully positioned himself as the leader of the opposition.

In a global National Day of Protest Rally held in Tacloban City in the key islands of Visayas, Duterte hailed Foreign supreme leader Xi Jinping as a “very near friend” and successfully shifted the blame for recent rising sea tensions to his fellow countrymen rather than China.

” We were not fighting with China before. No one was bugging us, and there was no territorial dispute. We were free to fish in and out of the area. We were not molested, we were there to fish, to make a living. Duterte argued that a leader’s change of strategy only occurs when a leader changes his approach, referring to his relatively Beijing-friendly diplomacy ( even though the two countries experienced some tensions in the South China Sea during his six-year tenure ).

A suspected Chinese militia vessel rammed and sunk a Filipino fishing vessel off the hotly disputed Reed Bank in 2019 while Duterte was in office, causing a national anti-Beijing backlash in the Philippines. Duterte publicly criticised China for swarming the Whitsun Reef in the South China Sea two years later.

” I’m not sure if I’ll tell the story behind it, but I’m certain you know it well.” The Philippines allowed itself to be used, and the US used it. Every leader has a different strategy, Duterte stated in his most recent speech, underscoring the danger of overreliance on America as a countermeasure to China’s growing footprint in the South China Sea.

Interestingly, even Marcos Jr’s own sister, Imee, who heads the foreign affairs committee at the Philippine Senate, has joined the critical chorus. The presidential sister, known for her longtime ties to both the Dutertes and China, warned of a risky military upheaval in a recent interview if the Philippines continues on its current policy stance.

” Let’s admit that the problem is that China thinks we have already sided with their enemy]America]. We gave 17]Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement] sites, which China thinks are]America ] military bases. So they were incensed]by our decisions ]”, Imee Marcos said, referring to a series of Philippine military facilities that were opened to the Pentagon under EDCA.

Imee Marcos ‘ statement, like Duterte, did n’t take into account the Philippines has only given the Pentagon access to nine EDCA sites, which is inconsistent with Duterte. Foreign powers are prohibited from setting up permanent bases in the country under the Philippine Constitution in response to the US’s occupation of the nation during the previous Cold War era.

According to what we’ve read, there are American missiles in Batanes and Subic, so because of Balikatan live-fire drills, those two would be the first targets along with Ilocos. It’s scary, what is that, we are talking of 25 here, that is not a joke”, Imee Marcos added, warning of China’s possible military strike plans against American assets on Philippine soil in any armed conflict scenario.

” I’m really scared because while tensions are brewing in the]South China Sea], I saw]reports ] about China’s plans to use hypersonic missiles… The US said they could not thwart hypersonic missiles. I got more worried because I believed that other nations have this thing called the Iron Dome, which prevents missiles from entering when it comes to missiles. But when it comes to hypersonic missiles, it could enter easily. Everything]in the Philippines ] will be crushed”, she added.

The senator was then merely asked by the Armed Forces of the Philippines ( AFP ) to provide any useful information that the government might need in order to “take appropriate actions to ensure our nation’s security.” Top defense experts and officials have broadly dismissed Imee Marcos ‘ statement as hyperbolic, if not misleading.

There is little sign of a significant policy shift on the horizon because the majority of Filipinos support Marcos Jr.’s foreign policy in general, including his support for the US. If anything, the Philippine military has indicated that it will fight back if China continues to use vicious tactics, including a potential strategy to forcibly overtake the Second Thomas Shoal.

The second-tongued Philippine ship at Second Thomas Reef has turned out to be the hottest flash point in the South China Sea. Image: Twitter

General Brawner, the AFP chief of staff, said,” We will use the same level of force as we would allow us to defend ourselves,” citing the possibility of more collisions with Chinese vessels in the disputed waters.

” If a knife is used, for example, our personnel will also use a knife, nothing more, under the concept of proportionality”, he added, clarifying the rules of engagement for Philippine servicemen resupplying and sustaining the country’s de facto military base on the contested shoal.

” When I said that we’ll fight back, I meant we would n’t allow ourselves to be bullied like that, just like what happened the last time because, of course, our adversaries had weapons,” Brawner said, underscoring the military’s commitment to maintain its current course despite the rising danger of armed conflict as well as criticism from well-known politicians at home.

Follow Richard Javad Heydarian on X at @Richeydarian

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China scrambling to unplug anti-Japan hate speech – Asia Times

Following a stabbed attack at a Suzhou, west of Shanghai, on June 24 that left a Chinese mother and child inflicted in a Suzhou school bus stop, Chinese social media platforms have suspended radical nationalist posts that promote hatred of Japan, according to media reports.

According to reports, a female vehicle assistant who attempted to protect the Chinese citizens was killed in the melee.

An poor Chinese man in his 50s carried out the assault. His private problems appear to have made him liable to ultranationalist website “influencers” who specialize in stoking anger toward Japanese and Americans to draw supporters and make money.

The incident marked China’s next high-profile blade attack on foreigners in a single month. Four American university instructors were fatally shot on June 10 in a garden in north China’s capital of Jilin.

There have been several blade problems just in China, most of them against another Chinese, according to press reports. Regular Chinese do not have quick access to guns, so violent acts frequently involve weapons rather than weapon, as opposed to Americans.

The spate of knife attacks, according to a long-standing National resident in China, may be due to the stress brought on by financial difficulties, including the loss of income, which are making several Chinese men feel desperate.

There was a plethora of condolences for the Suzhou sufferers and enthusiasm for Hu Youping, the vehicle attendant, who has received praise for his lady in both China and Japan. However, Chinese social media also featured angry and jaded posts.

Writing on the Pekingnology Substack, creator and director Xichen Wang, a senior of China’s condition- operate Xinhua News Agency, wrote:

Recently, a couple users ]of social media ] have taken advantage of certain situations to incite serious nationalist views by distorting, exaggerating, or perhaps developing content to article inappropriate remarks. Examples include calling for the creation of a “modern-day Boxer Rebellion,” spreading slanderous claims that the Suzhou school bus staff who died rescuing others as” Chinese spies” and developing severe populist claims like “it would be best if all of Japan sank, leading to early cultural extinction. “

In response to such radical criticism, Douyin, NetEase, Tencent, Weibo and another Chinese social media users cracked down.

These comments have impacted the platform’s good and quiet environment and also sparked immoral behavior, according to Douyin, the Taiwanese version of TikTok. Users are asked to report inappropriate and dangerous expressions of serious nationalist sentiment and China-Japan’s incitement of conflict, according to a statement from NetEase. More than 800 of its social media platform principles have been reported to have been broken by Tencent.

China’s mouthpiece media even made its position apparent, with the state- run People’s Everyday writing that” We will also not take the hype of’ xenophobia’ and hate speech… This is undesirable …”

Former Communist Party executive Hu Xijin said that China “must avoid excessively exaggerating external challenges and hostility online, which makes extreme nationalism a commodity of hating America and Japan,” blaming most of China’s issues on external factors.

Extremism was brought up with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng at a meeting held on July 1 in Beijing by a Japanese trade delegation led by senior Japanese politician Yohei Kono. Kono inquired if the attacker had any specific questions about the Japanese government. The vice premier replied,” No,” but he did.

The Chinese government’s official position is that the stabbings in Suzhou and Jilin were both “initial incidents.”

The Japanese Embassy in China has urged its citizens to remain vigilant in the wake of the knife attack in Suzhou, as well as a recent spate of stabbings in Chinese subways and parks, according to Asahi Shimbun.

Numerous Japanese commentators on social media and in the mainstream media attributed the incident to propaganda in China’s state-run media and anti-Japanese indoctrination.

In this situation, “indoctrination” appears to mean teaching the history of the Japanese invasion of China, including the notorious Nanjing Massacre, while “propaganda likely means stating China’s position on the disputed Daioyu ( Senkaku ) Islands, Taiwan, and other foreign policy issues.

In the West, ethnic Chinese are still subject to random violence as Western politicians churn up their own anti-China propaganda. A 16-year-old Chinese-New Zealand boy was attacked with a metal rod after a woman started yelling racist slurs at him on a bus in Auckland on July 1st, according to The New Zealand Herald.

Three of the boy’s teeth were knocked out and two more damaged. His bloodied face and raised hands are seen in a photo that another passenger apparently took with a cell phone.

Other passengers, some of them reportedly also ethnic Chinese, can also be seen in the photo but not the assailant. Only one of them intervened in the apparently unprovoked, racially motivated attack. To protect his privacy, the boy’s upper face has been blacked out. The assailant is being sought out by the police, who stated they are working diligently to find him.

Hu Xijin wrote in a brief video report that was published on Global Times the day after the” Hu Says” title.

” A 16- year- old Chinese student was suddenly attacked with a steel rod on a public bus in Auckland, New Zealand, last Friday, resulting in severe facial injuries and the loss of three teeth. Only a 75- year- old man intervened to protect the victim. The elderly man may also be Chinese, according to reports from Chinese media. The injured Chinese student asked the bus driver not to let her leave when the attacker attempted to leave, but the driver still opened the door.

The woman attacker managed to elude and has not been apprehended despite there being more than ten passengers on the New Zealand bus. The civil society of New Zealand is appalled by the passengers on the public bus’s weak response to the woman attacker.

Perhaps, but the story is not that simple. in a more in-depth report that was published on the news website news.com in Australia. au, also on July 2, senior reporter Frank Chung wrote:

Mao Peng, a local news blogger in China, first shared details of the alleged attack on Friday morning, the Maori New Year’s public holiday, on the social media platform WeChat.

The teen was attacked by a “woman in her 40s who looked Maori,” according to the Chinese-language report that the teen was taking a bus from East Auckland to the city.

Despite him yelling for help, a 75-year-old Chinese man on the bus who was in the crowd, said that “more than a dozen” of the other Chinese people sitting on the bus sat in their seats and did nothing.”

The 75-year-old man and the steel rod, which they wrestled away from her, are seen in the photos that accompany the report. The boy and other passengers ‘ faces are blocked out.

US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns wrote on X: Following the knife attack on American teachers in Jilin:

” The stabbing of three US citizens and a non-citizen resident of Iowa in Jilin, China, has deeply disturbed and enrages me. The 4 are currently receiving treatment at Jilin Hospital, and a US Consular Officer has visited them. We are doing all we can to help them &amp, hope for their full recovery”.

Not just Burns is deeply troubled by what China has formally portrayed as a singular incident involving Americans. That is in contrast to the thousands of anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents that were reported in the US after then-president Donald Trump referred to the Covid-19 virus as” Kung-Fli” and” Chinese virus” in June 2020.

According to documented research on the attacks, they included racially motivated murders that involved pushing a young woman in front of a subway train, beating, kicking, and stomping, as well as at least one mass shooting.

Since Trump’s assassination, the number of such crimes and incidents has declined sharply, but senior researcher Janelle Wong of AAPI[ Asian American and Pacific Islander ] Data reported to NBC News last year that” Anti-Asian hate crimes are frequently linked to national security or other US foreign policy that heightened attention to Asian Americans in the US.”

In light of concerns that the attacks could rise once more during a second Trump presidency, Wong said,” We will expect them to go up again at some point, depending on what the national and international context is and the degree to which places in Asia are seen as a threat to the US.”

According to Hu Xijin, who wrote on Weibo,” Chinese people face far more risks outside their country than foreigners do in China.” That is probably true. However, given what transpired in the US during the pandemic, it’s still possible to see China’s internet and news media trying to defuse racial attacks on foreigners in China before they become a norm.

Follow this writer on&nbsp, X: @ScottFo83517667

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US sanctions firms for training PLA aircrew in S Africa – Asia Times

Four businesses in Hong Kong, South Africa, and the United Kingdom were alleged to have used Western and NATO funding to train Chinese People’s Liberation Army ( PLA ) aircrew in South Africa. &nbsp,

According to the Bureau of Industry and Security ( BIS ) of the US Commerce Department, Global Training Solutions Limited and Smartech Future Limited in Hong Kong, Grace Air ( Pty ) Ltd in South Africa, and Livingston Aerospace Ltd in the United Kingdom are the companies that have been sanctioned.

The BIS claimed that the four businesses were disciplined because of their connections to the TFASA, which was banned a year ago. Past American military aircraft Craig Penrice, a former TFASA project manager, owns Livingston Aerospace.

The Bi added 16 businesses to its Entity List in June of last year because they allegedly used American and NATO sources to provide training to Taiwanese military pilots. US businesses must qualify for licenses before delivering goods to them, and registration applications will be reviewed based on a presumption of denial. &nbsp,

TFASA, Frontier Services Group, AVIC International Flight Training Academy ( AIFA ), and Chinese Flight Test Establishment ( also known as the Shaanxi-based AVIC Flight Test Center ), are the 16 companies that have been sanctioned.

AVIC generally produces various types of military aviation for China, including the J- 20 warrior, the J- 15 provider- based warrior and the Y- 20 transport aircraft, as well as some legal aircraft.

Duggan’s event

The UK’s Ministry of Defense ( MoD ) said on October 18, 2022, that up to 30 former Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and Army pilots had been training the Chinese PLA- Air Force.

Some of the planes were hired as early as 2019 through a small Southern American business, according to the report, and were drawn to them because of high salaries up to US$ 270, 000 annually.

According to common knowledge, RAF pilots make about £58, 897 on average per year. The MoD claimed that no one had been charged because planes ‘ education and recruitment did not violate any UK law. &nbsp,

The announcement was made a few days before an procedure was conducted in the US and Australia to apprehend a previous TFASA professional. &nbsp,

Former US Marine Corps captain Daniel Duggan was detained in Australia on October 21, 2022, at the US government’s request, on suspicion of arms trafficking, money laundering, and” plot to mislead the United States by conspiring to fraudulently trade protection services to China.”

Duggan, according to the US government, received about$ 100, 000 for his service but had not requested consent to offer the training. &nbsp,

In 2014, Duggan moved to Beijing and started working for TFASA. He renounced his US citizen in 2016 but later changed to American citizenship in 2012. A jury in New South Wales ruled in May of this year that Duggan could be extradited to the US. If found guilty, he could spend up to 65 decades in US jail.

Foreign commentators claimed that the West wanted to use the pilot-training controversy to promote the idea of China’s threat and establish an anti-China group. &nbsp,

” Australia and the UK established regulations prohibiting the teaching of Chinese aircrew.” Does China really want to learn from its resigned planes? Pardon me, they are not qualified”, a journalist of the express- owned Defense Times said in a remark.

Five Eye’ warnings

The Five Eyes, an brains- sharing costume comprising the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, increased their social efforts to suppress TFASA’s activity in September.

Three former Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF ) fighter pilots are being trained in China by TFASA, according to Canadian media reports.

Moreover, the UK authorities said past UK Armed Forces officers who train foreign forces around the world may be prosecuted under the National Security Act, which defines “protected knowledge” as “tactics, techniques and procedures”.

Seven New Zealanders were urged by the New Zealand government to stop assisting the Chinese army in training. &nbsp,

The PLA is training its air force and navy personnel by using private companies in South Africa and China, according to a joint statement released on June 5 this year.

A representative from the US National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC ) told the media that the Chinese military had recruited former pilots from Germany, Germany, and other nations.

Following legal reforms filed in the UK in 2023, TFASA said it would end all UK nationals ‘ employment. Additionally, it stated that while the majority of its employees are civilian contractors, they do not currently employ any US nationals. &nbsp,

The UK- based Livingston Aerospace, founded by Craig Penrice in November 2012, has also been added to the US Entity List. Price has not yet responded to the Asia Times ‘ request for comment.

According to a Wall Street Journal report published in December 2022, Penrice, the then TFASA product manager, wrote in an email in 2021 that Western pilots could continue flying if they were considering taking some time off.

In another email, Jean Rossouw, the head of TFASA, told AVIC and Chinese military representatives in March 2021 that a number of Chinese students were” seriously under- qualified and underprepared”.

Read: China hawk: Fix symbolic, ineffective US sanctions

Follow Jeff Pao on X: &nbsp, @jeffpao3

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Maldives shows the way to a thriving ‘Blue Economy’ – Asia Times

For decades, the Island ‘ sea habitat has cared for, fed, and employed its people. With one of the highest orange economy numbers in the world, accounting for more than 36 % of its complete GDP, it has propelled the nation into a top luxury tourism hub. &nbsp,

This powerful connection between the atmosphere, its citizens and the business is essential for the Maldives. An increase in temperatures of only 1.5 to 2 degrees may mean the difference between our country’s existence and being remembered on the global image, despite currently battling the recurring effects of climate change.

The Island has pioneered a growth strategy centered on the Blue Economy‘s tenets despite all odds.

The sustainability of the tourism sector rests entirely on the beauty and health of its marine and ocean ecosystems, which contribute directly to over 30 % of its GDP and over 80 % of foreign exchange earnings. Its tourism industry offers luxurious vacation accommodations and increasingly affordable holiday huts perched high above turquoise waters. &nbsp,

The Maldives ‘ tuna fishing industry has been a successful one since ancient times, moving from a small-scale operation to a famous exporter of effectively caught fish today.

The whole potential of the Blue Economy has not yet been realized for the Islands and the vast majority of the nations in Asia and the Pacific region that depend on maritime and aquatic organisms. It is not just an economical approach, for these countries, including the Maldives, it’s a necessity for their success.

While angling and marine-based tourism have inevitably prospered, another investment-intensive industries like alternative marine energy, coastal biotechnology, and clean and resilient infrastructure require financing and supportive policies to flourish. &nbsp,,

Some of the most ambitious policies being put in place by Maldives and the Pacific Small Island Developing States ( SIDS ) are aiming to transform their problems into opportunities. Priorities in their Nationally Determined Contributions ( NDCs ) include energy security and just transition.

Leaping ahead, the Island announced at COP28 its commitment to developing renewable energy systems, with the aim of meeting 33 % of the country’s energy needs within the next five years. If this determination were to be realized, it would save the national budget, or practically$ 750 million currently spent on electricity.

We have seen the SIDS putting forth an ambitious statement at the international plastic agreement negotiations in Paris that calls for the implementation of effective waste management options for Danger funded by cheap suppliers.

The Island is also currently experimenting with a plan to build a lasting waste-to-energy service in the capital region, with the potential to spread the plan across all islands.

Missing funding website

The Maldives hosted the first Asia-Pacific Blue Economy Forum in conjunction with the UN Development Programme ( UNDP )’s Climate Finance Network, which was supported by the UK.

Individuals from 15 different nations in the area identified frequent issues that affect all Violet Market sectors, along with think tank and private sector partners. These include a decrease in the international development assistance, a lack of funding opportunities and funding, maritime ecosystem governance, and a lack of big data and innovation.

Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, president of Islands, and other SIDS leaders called for a revitalized international approach that may solve the SIDS ‘ financing gap, use vulnerability steps into the allocation of concessional finance, and reform the global economic architecture to strengthen the voice and representation of SIDS and developing nations. &nbsp,

Investments must be made in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises ( MSMEs ) that are the main players in the region to close the financing gap and realize the full potential of the ocean’s resources. &nbsp, &nbsp,

MSMEs frequently inspire creativity and create new business segments, and pool and de-risking investments are necessary for quick access to financing. MSMEs also have the power to influence business behavior, as demonstrated by Maldives ‘ own Hologo, an island-based augmented reality educational game that has been popular in 3D, Mr, and VR articles for education.

Similar innovations include, OdiApp, which is harmonizing the water transport sector in the country, and eDhumashi, providing a financial solution for women fishers, expanding their market access and enhancing financial benefits throughout the fisheries sector’s value chain.

The national and international partners in the public and private areas must work right away to help the SIDS unlock their enzymatic blue economy and growth potential. The comprehensive vulnerability index and associated measures may be more widely accepted and help these nations who are at risk of losing more money.

This needs to be met with continuing action and leadership to realize the full potential of a prosperous and inclusive society. The Blue Economy is as significant as the sea as it is for SIDS, and the opportunities it offers are as large and deep as the ocean. As essential public products, the Blue Economy is equally significant globally as it is for SIDS.

Blue Economy: A connection as old as time

A man lives atop a whale, a companion he has had many years, in a folktale from the Maldives. Perched on the whale’s back, he clings to its fin, and the whale, in turn, understands not to dive deep for prolonged periods to safeguard the man’s life.

Occasionally, it submerges briefly if sensing danger nearby. The man lives on raw fish, skillfully catching them with his hands, aided by the whale in locating them. This man was glimpsied atop the whale, according to many fishermen in the Maldives, but when spotted, both quickly retreat into the depths.

The answer to Blue lies in retracing the meaning of the tale and adage old wisdom: the Maldives ‘ profound dependence and connection to nature. The ocean’s love and care for us are treasures to cherish for generations to come.

Enrico Gaveglia serves as the Maldives ‘ resident UNDP representative.

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US air moves in Japan more head fake than power punch – Asia Times

In response to rising tensions with China over Taiwan, the US has unveiled a US$ 10 billion plan to improve defense aircraft in Japan. But, aging aircraft, production problems and China’s quick- growing air force does suggest the plan is too little, too soon to drastically shift the region’s balance of air power.

The US has unveiled a complete modernization strategy for military plane stationed in Japan, according to Breaking Defense, the most recent step to strengthen the US-Japan security empire, according to Breaking Defense.

Breaking Defense says the plan, second announced in November 2023, involves replacing older F- 15s and F- 16s with superior F- 15EX and F- 35 planes and changing US Marine Corps ( USMC) F- 35B operations. The report notes that this tactical change increases punishment and fosters peace and stability in a place where tensions persist over Taiwan’s potential.

The essential to the development travel is Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, dubbed the” Foundation of the Pacific”, which will see its 48 F- 15s substituted by 36 F- 15EXs. The facility’s close vicinity to Taiwan highlights its strategic importance for both Japan’s national protection and US military interests.

According to the Breaking Defense statement, the change process will involve continued third- and fifth-generation fighter rotations, a temporary determine that was previously criticized by US Republican lawmakers.

Also, the Misawa Air Base in northern Honshu may have an update from 36 F- 16s to 48 F- 35As. The USMC Air Station Iwakuni in southern Honshu, however, will change its F- 35B secrecy warrior presence to coincide with the USMC’s force design modernization.

Although the US maintains a considerable warrior push there, its efforts to maintain a reliable power posture in China may be undermined by aging fighter aircraft, improve delays, and production issues.

In an April 2023 article for Air &amp, Space Forces Magazine, Chris Gordon notes that US F- 15 Eagles based at Kadena have retired after 40 years of service, raising questions about the US Air Force’s ( USAF ) capacity to match China’s growing, modern air fleet in the Pacific.

John Tirpak notes for Air &amp, Space Forces Magazine that, on average, US fighter planes are 29 years old. Some fighters, such as the F- 15C and F- 15E, are 37 and 30 years old, much exceeding their anticipated support lives of 12- 15 years.

During Exercise Resilient Typhoon 2019, a US F-15C fighter takes off from Tinian International Airport. Photo: Scramble Magazine

With its heavy payload and upgraded sensors making it a “missile truck” to launch beyond- visual- range ( BVR ) missiles, the F- 15EX does not have stealth features that would allow it to penetrate and survive in heavily defended airspace. However, it represents a significant improvement over the older F- 15 models.

Due to this defect, the F-15EX becomes more of a stopgap model until more advanced F-22s can be deployed to Japan or until the US Next Generation Air Dominance ( NGAD ) fighter becomes operational.

Top-of-the-line F-22s were sent by the US to Kadena Air Force Base in April 2024, but it is unlikely there will be enough to compete with China’s expanding fleet of fifth-generation fighters, such as the J-20. The US stopped F- 22 production with only 187 airframes built, fewer than China’s 200 or so J- 20 stealth fighters.

Maya Carlin notes in a June 2024 article for The National Interest ( TNI ) that China produced 100 J- 20 stealth fighters last year, on top of 40- 50 units built in 2022. At that rate, Carlin says China may have 1, 000 J- 20s by 2035.

In contrast, Unshin Lee Harpley notes in a March 2024 Air &amp, Space Forces Magazine article that while the US can build 135 F- 35 airframes a year, 60- 70 of those planes go to US allies. Although the F- 22 is a 30- year- old plane with a 1980s stealth design and 1990s computer architecture, constant upgrades may make it a capable combat platform in the 2020s and beyond.

As a crucial component of its strategy to advance military equipment and address potential technological challenges, the USAF is focused on developing more sophisticated and battle-ready F-22 models, according to Asia Times ‘ report from May 2024.

Over the next ten years, the F- 22 fleet will receive a$ 22 billion upgrade, which could extend its service life into the 2040s. The upgrade will enhance the avionics, stealth and survivability of 142 F- 22 aircraft.

According to analysts, upgrading the F-22s will require a lot of time and resources that could be better used to research and develop a new fighter. Additionally, there are concerns the F- 22 may become obsolete for its designated purpose by the time the upgrades are finished.

As for the F- 35, the 2023 Annual Report by the Director, Operational Test &amp, Evaluation ( DOT&amp, E) released in January 2024 shows that the 628- strong US F- 35 fighter fleet has been grappling with reliability, maintainability and availability ( RMA ) issues.

The DOT&amp, E report shows that despite efforts to improve performance, the fleet was operational only 51 % of the time in fiscal year 2023, falling well short of a 65 % target. Additionally, it reveals a decline in aircraft availability since January 2021, with combat-coded aircraft prioritized for maintenance and spare parts reaching a monthly average availability of 61 %, which is also below target.

The DOT&amp, E report also shows that F- 35 full mission capability rates were below expectations, with combat- coded aircraft averaging 48 % and the overall fleet just 30 %. It says critical failures, including software stability and hardware issues, are the main contributors to the fleet’s underperformance.

F- 35 fighters. Photo: US Air Force

The report also mentions that Block 4 mission systems software, which are underdeveloped and inadequate, are contributing to the aircraft’s progress. According to the report, there are also security concerns with the avionics for the new Technology Refresh 3 ( TR-3 ) hardware, which are being incorporated into the production Lot 15 aircraft.

China may be on track to surpass the US airpower not just in the Pacific but also globally as the US struggles to modernize its fighter force.

In a March 2024 US Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing, Admiral John Aquilino, commander of US Indo- Pacific Command ( USINDOPACOM), said that China, now with the world’s largest military and navy, will soon also have the world’s largest air force.

In line with that statement, the US Department of Defense’s ( DOD ) 2023 China Military Power Report notes that the People’s Liberation Army- Air Force ( PLA- AF ) and PLA- Navy Aviation ( PLA- N Aviation ) combined is the largest aviation force in the Indo- Pacific and the third- largest in the world with some 3, 150 aircraft, not including trainers and unmanned systems.

Around 2, 400 of those are combat aircraft such as fighters, strategic bombers, tactical bombers, multi- mission tactical and attack aircraft, the report said.

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