United States military officials have requested an additional US$20 billion in funding from legislators to fortify the country’s naval, airborne and ground-based operations in the Indo-Pacific region, a sign of Washington’s intensifying efforts to counter Beijing’s military presence in the area.
The request by the Pentagon’s Indo-Pacific Command for funding, which would last through financial year 2026, was delivered to Congress last week.
“Without a valid and convincing conventional deterrent, China and Russia will be emboldened to take action in the region to supplant US interests,” read an executive summary of the request obtained by Breaking Defence, a military news outlet that first reported the move. Read More…
