Disruption

By leveraging the production capacities of critical allies like Japan and Australia, the US Navy’s novel, affordable sea hit weapons program aims to recharge dangerously depleted stockpiles of long-range strike munitions in a possible Taiwan conflict.

The US Navy has begun a search for industry input on a novel medium-range maritime strike weapon, the” Coalition Affordable Maritime Strike Weapon System” ( CAMS ), according to a report released this month from Breaking Defense, with plans to start production by the year 2027.

Breaking Defense says the July 16 call shows a need for an affordable, widely sellable tool system deployed across several domains—air, floor and sub-surface. This program addresses the declining returns that some coalition partners are facing in maintaining and modernizing their mid-range maritime strike capabilities.

According to the Breaking Defense report, CAMS is designed to strike targets at a minimum of 140 nautical miles, with adaptability for launches from aircraft’s vertical launch systems (VLS ) and at altitudes up to 40, 000 feet.

It mentions that the US Navy intends to develop a system that will cost about US$ 1.5 million per product and have a production capacity of at least 250 rounds per year.

According to Breaking Defense, the program aims to leverage global interest and increase the capacity for collective defense use of munitions production while the specific coalition nations that are interested in CAMS remain unnamed.

The Ukraine war has shown that large-scale industrial wars of attrition are here to stay, with the industrial capacity to manufacture and replenish precision-guided munitions ( PGM ) a key strategic-level decisive factor.

Seth Jones warns that the US may face a munitions shortfall in a potential conflict with China, especially for long-range PGMs, in a report from January 2023 for the Center for Strategic and International Studies ( CSIS ) think tank. Jonese points out that this might prevent the US from continuing to fight in the Taiwan Strait.

Jones raises questions about the preparation of the US defence industrial base as the country reports that China’s price of acquiring high-end arms techniques is said to be five to six times faster than the US.

He highlights that it can take two years to replace certain missile types, such as the Patriot PAC-2/PAC-3, Tomahawk Block V, Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile ( JASSM) and Precision Strike Missile ( PSM).

Jones mentions that CSIS war game suggest that in a three-week issue, the US may destroy over 5, 000 long-range weapons, with critical shortfalls occurring within the first year.

Further, according to a US Congressional Research Service ( CRS ) report from October 2023, significant consolidation in the US defense sector may have weakened competition, potentially leading to higher costs and less innovation.

According to the CRS report, reliance on a small number of manufacturers, particularly for sophisticated devices like PGMs, raises the possibility of offer disruption and national security concerns.

Additionally, it asserts that the US relies on foreign sources for corporate and crucial elements, which could prevent the production and distribution of precision-guided weapons in times of issue.

In response to potential output bottlenecks in US PGM, the US has considered co-production with friends like Japan and Australia.

The US Department of Defense ( DOD ) reported in March 2024 that the US is working with allies to increase defense production capabilities.

According to the statement, US Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Supportment William LaPlante cited the Ukraine conflict as a turning point for increased global cooperation in producing crucial weapons before the US Senate Appropriations Committee’s Defense Subcommittee.

The US&nbsp, according to the DOD, is expanding this cooperative model to include PSM munitions and the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System ( GMLRS ), with plans to collaborate with Japan to create missile defense interceptors.

It notes that this strategic move aims to protect allied security industrial bases, particularly in response to Russia’s increased military investing, estimated now at 7 % of GDP, and China’s boom in military result under its military-civil integration development strategy.

In a March 2024 New York Times article, Damien Cave reported that the US is partnering with Australia to ramp up the production of precision-guided munitions.

Cave mentions that US and Australian defense companies are working together to create artillery shells and guided missiles, like the GMLRS, in accordance with US DOD specifications.

He asserts that these weapons will replenish US stockpiles and be accessible for sale to allies, noting that US munitions stockpiles have been stretched by the conflict in Ukraine and Gaza.

Cave points out that the former’s expansive interior houses Australian production facilities for US munitions, with the Benalla munitions factory and Mulwala explosives factory playing important roles.

However, Japan’s and Australia’s defense industries are struggling to increase PGM production due to their small, aging workforces and lack of production bases.

Valerie Insinna mentions that Japan’s defense sector is dealing with an aging workforce and a shrinking supply chain in a June 2024 Breaking Defense article.

In order to address those issues, Insinna points out that the” Act on Enhancing Defense Production and Technology Bases” ( also known as the” Act on Enhancing Defense Production and Technology Bases ) is being revived in Japan.

The law encourages advancements in manufacturing productivity and cybersecurity, and rewards achievement of goals.

However, Insinna points out that these reforms may be too little, too late in the current volatile strategic landscape. She adds that the Japanese defense sector faces additional challenges, such as labor shortages brought on by an aging population and the need to incorporate cutting-edge technologies like robotics and AI.

Gordon Arthur claims in a Defense News article this month that Australia’s domestic small and medium enterprises ( SMEs ) are hampered by the government’s preference for large foreign contractors like Lockheed over domestic small and medium enterprises ( SMEs ).

Arthur points out that Australia does n’t have a clear path for the gradual transition of PGM production from large contractors like Lockheed to Australian SMEs.

He notices that there are more and more calls for the Australian government to support SMEs ‘ capacity-building initiatives. Additionally, he points out the strategic need for an indigenous defense sector that can deal with upcoming conflicts.

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After weeks of sportsmanship and debate, JD Vance has emerged as Donald Trump’s 2024 going partner and the heir apparent to the America First activity.

The first-term Ohio lawmaker has little political experience, let alone any experience with foreign plan, with less than two years in Congress to his credit.

But Vance represents a clear withdrawal from the Ronald Reagan-era international policy sights that characterised Trump’s past vice president, Mike Pence. Pence spent a lot of his time in the office making trips to reassure US allies and partners abroad, giving speeches intended to give proper clarity to Trump’s frequently unexpected actions.

As Trump’s sin political pick, Vance’s international policy views could prove equally important if the previous president is re-elected in November. What might a Vance evil president mean for the rest of the world, then?

An’ Asia-First’-style internationalist on Ukraine

Vance is one of the many Democrat” Asia First” politicians who wants to refocus the nation’s resources on halting China’s expansion and restrain US attention from Europe.

He has gained a reputation as one of the most vocal critics of continued US assistance to Ukraine in Congress, calling on Western allies to” move up” their own military efforts to Kiev and saying the US has “provided a cover of safety to Europe for far too much.”

Only after Russia’s war in February 2022, in truth, Vance frankly declared:

I have to be honest with you, I do n’t care what happens to Ukraine in any way.

Vance maintains that he is not in favor of the US leaving” Europe.” Instead, he wants to concentrate on the more pressing threat that the US faces from China, which he claims is the true enemy of.

An economic republican on China

Vance describes his place on China as a” noteworthy economic nationalist explanation.” He claims that” we should be making more of our stuff” even at the cost of a” couple basis points GDP” and that increasing support for US manufacturing is a way to directly counteract China’s rise.

Vance predicts that lifting tariffs on Chinese imports will open up financial prospects in Rust Belt states like Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

Notably, he has also praised President Joe Biden’s 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, aimed at boosting local silicon chip producing so the US is better compete with China and other countries, as a “great piece of legislation“.

Vance has co-sponsored regulations that would revoke China’s favorite trade position, a move that could be very disruptive for the world economy, despite the US and its allies maintaining regular trade relations with China since its accession to the World Trade Organization in 2000.

A ‘ fan of AUKUS ‘

Vance has spoken a little about US alliances in Asia, but he has spoken a lot about them. He wants to reorient the US toward the Indo-Pacific region to counter China.

He gave Australia a brief nod when he described himself as a “fan of AUKUS” during remarks at the Munich Security Conference in February of this year.

In the broader region, Vance has said he wants to” try to promote” US allies with aligned interests, while encouraging” those who are a little bit more on the fence to think about things from our perspective”.

He has argued that Taiwan’s economic support can be based on the fact that China has pledged to retake it by force and that it must be protected because there is a chance that an invasion will “decimate our entire economy.”

A shape-shifter on climate change

Vance’s position on climate change changed when he ran for the US Senate in 2022, like some of his other views.

In 2020, he spoke of the” climate problem” facing the United States– but when seeking Trump’s endorsement for the Senate, he described himself as “skeptical” of human responsibility for climate change.

Additionally, he vowed to abolish electric vehicle tax credits in the US.

An heir to the’ America First ‘ agenda

Vance has previously cited foreign policy as a significant factor in his backing of Trump.

In early 2023, when many Republicans were backing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ‘ presidential ambitions, Vance wrote an op-ed supporting Trump’s campaign and lauding his first term as” the first real disruption to a failed consensus” in US foreign policy.

In the piece, Vance praised Trump’s” successful foreign policy” as the “most important part” of his legacy, saying he” started no wars” and pushed for the United States to “take more responsibility for its own defense”.

Previous vice presidents have criticized the office because of its subsidiary nature and limited authority in comparison to the presidency. There is every chance that in a second Trump presidency, the position would be no different.

However, Biden has demonstrated how vice presidents can carved out their own positions as key advisors, particularly in terms of foreign policy. And with Trump’s support, Vance could be well-positioned for a presidential campaign in 2028.

Vance’s shape-shifting views make it difficult to forecast exactly what his role as Trump’s deputy could mean for the Indo-Pacific region. However, it may be crucial to comprehend the contours of a second Trump term or, in fact, a future Vance administration by paying close attention to his foreign policy philosophy as it develops in the upcoming months.

At the University of Sydney’s United States Studies Center, Ava Kalinauskas and Samuel Garrett work as researchers.

The Conversation has republished this article under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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