Speaking to reporters in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Ryan Henry, the Pentagon’s point man on the just-released QDR, said he’s concerned about the actions of the United States “near peer” competitor—China. The Asian country is continuing to build its military strength and “offensive systems,” he said, and appears to be “preparing for something other than a political solution to the Taiwan problem.” Taking note of China’s rising defense expenditures, the QDR recommends stationing more naval assets in the Pacific and ramping up long range strike options as a means to compensate for a more strategically powerful China.
The emphasis on speed in the Pentagon’s newly unveiled slate of acquisition reforms may come with increased near-term cost increases, analysts say. But according to U.S. defense officials, the new weapons-buying construct provides the military with enough flexibility to prevent runaway budget overruns in major programs.
