Gen. Robert Neller, the Marine Corps commandant has expressed concern over the Chinese and Russian military’s growing capabilities.
During Senate hearing Robert Neller said that the development and acquisition of long-range precision weapons by our Nation’s chief competitors and threats – China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, and Violent Extremist Organizations (VEO) – have placed many of our forward deployed forces within the effective range of their weapons systems, or “threat rings.
The general noted that most forward bases of marines are not sufficiently protected from blows, which undermines their ability to prepare and conduct combat operations, so that now the US can not adhere to military concepts based on uncontested control of the sea.
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“We need additional hardening of our facilities to include aircraft hangars and command posts, the capability to rapidly repair damage to our air stations, and counterprecision guided munitions and advanced air-defense capabilities” – said Robert Neller.
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Also, he noted that the greatest need of enhanced resilience exists on US 17strategically significant overseas bases in the Pacific on Okinawa and Guam. These locations are vital to reassuring partners and allies in the region.