18 April 2023
Witnesses:
Mr. Jedidiah P. Royal, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, Department of Defense
Admiral Jon C. Aquilino, USN, Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command
General Paul J. LaCamera, USA, Commander, United Nations Command / Combined Forces Command / U.S. Forces Korea
Chair: Rep Mike Rogers (R-AL)
On North Korea:
[Continues to] build Nuclear arsenal…Kim expanded inventory of warheads. North Korea tested solid fueled ICBM…troubling news…accelerate next generation missile program, missile defense…
On China:
…Tripled defense decade. Modernized…unprecedent advancements in space, hypersonics, AI, quantum computing…military build up…provocative actions by president XI, pushing out China’s borders…Threating allies in region…
Call to Action:
We have no choice but to take President’s Xi’s threats seriously. Need accelerate own military modernization, better distribute logistics around pacific…need to expand and strengthen partnerships in region, need AUKUS…, training in Taiwan…most importantly need to take action now. Simply cannot procrastinate.
Ranking Member: Rep Adam Smith (D-WA)
Threats to National Security:
Threats to national security and to global security. Pacing Threat is China. Largest competitor economically…right next door unpredictable north threat in North Korea.
Deterrence in North Korea:
On North Korea, what is our best deterrence strategy? How do we contain that threat given unpredictability and capabilities developing.
On China:
China is much broader threat…talk great deal about Taiwan…biggest flashpoint….Conflict there would be devastating entire world…China is aggressive in bullying in multiple ways claiming territory in sovereign nations…cannot criticize China without launching economic war…
Our Strategy:
Level of China has to restrict freedoms of entire war, far greater…we need alternative. Key to that is our presence us being actively involved efforts of INDO-PACAFIC region…need to have deterrence but also need to have partners allies [like] Japan, Australia, India, Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia…how do we work with them…goal with China has to be peaceful coexistence. We are not going to “defeat” China. China and US going to be major global powers…how nudge China back to less bullying, less aggressive action…
Mr. Jedidiah P. Royal
Safeguarding Interests with Partners:
DoD safeguard interests’ partners allies….US is an INDO-PACIFIC power. Secretary Austin clear seeking transparency…peaceful resolution of disputes…
PLA/PRC:
PLA…risky intercepts against US allies partner assets in air and in sea…increase risk of accident. High altitude balloon, PRC disregard basic principle of sovereignty…
Other challenges in Indo-Pacific Region:
North Korea continues to engage…Climate change place downward pressure. Violent extremist…
DoD Posture:
DoD strengthens deterrence and ensure prevail in conflict. Investing in capabilities needed in future. Rapid Defense Experimentation reserve, promising prototypes to warfighters…
Bottom line. Deterrence Indo-Pacific; real and strong today…major investments like this help keep way.
International Partners:
US not alone…supported Japan decision to increase submarines...modernize strengthen Republic of Korea, Philippines…Defense ties in India…security relationship…work to fulfill commitments under Taiwan relations act…Fulfill commitments under Taiwan relations act….Modernizing force posture…Japan announced services force posture improvements…governments announced US forces will have access to Philippine bases…[Other nations] investing in own capabilities…five regional treaty allies increased military spending by double digits.
Admiral Jon C. Aquilino
Need Sense of Urgency:
More to do…must act with greater sense of urgency…tirelessly working to prevent conflict not provoke it.
Increased Risk/Relationship between Russia and China:
This decade presents a period of increased risk. Illegitimate and illegal invasion and war in Ukraine. Military buildup…behavior in PRC no limits articulated partnership in Russia. Constant threat violent extremism…
Threat of PRC:
PRC, economic, diplomatic, military, technology to mount sustained challenge in attempt to displace United States in rules based international order.
Key Elements to Indo-Pacom seize initiative approach:
Make sure Provides Secretary of Defense and President options for any contingency.
Key elements to this initiative:1 robust theater posture, 2) joint posture campaigning, 3) technology superior capabilities, and 4) enhanced network of allies partners and friends
Act Now:
Respectfully, request continued support…any delay in one area directly effects the others and puts overall success of deterrence efforts in risk. Conflict in Indio-Pacific, is not inevitable…don’t have luxury of time, must act now.
General Paul J. LaCamera
Postured with Allies:
Korean peninsula…Korean war taught us ready and forward postured with Allies.
Five Priorities under Indo-Pacom Seize Initiative
1)defend the homelands, 2) strengthen united states and public Korea alliance…,3) Prepare or combat , decisive, highest state of combat readiness, 4) build coalitions to dissuade aggression in the region and 5) ensure our personnel are taken care of.
Mission First, People Always
Mission first, people always…Soldiers, guardians, marines, civilians proof to commitment….honor to represent them.
Q&A
Rep. Rogers
Taiwan Self Defense Capabilities?
Rogers : Taiwan Self Defense Capabilities?
Royal: Ability to meet Taiwan Relations act. Make sure Taiwan, able to defend itself…looking opportunity to understand what threat…ISR, command and Control, Battle and management systems….
Adm Aquilino: Training, capabilities…critical getting to island as soon and as fast.
Continuing Resolution:
Rogers: …Two year CR, would you be able to go fast in trying to prepare for conflict?
Adm Aquilino: CR of any length is devastating to DoD…maneuver in industry space...at pace and in speed. Any new starts loss of buying power…devastating…
Rep. Smith
International Partnerships:
Smith: Broader China Threat in terms of Allies and Partners. Five Treaty Allies…other countries navigating world between US, China and Russia…if going to be successful in containing the threat and nudging them to more cooperative…going to need India Indonesia…Vietnam…what does that look like in [terms] of strategy?
Adm Aquilino: Allies and partners and asymmetric…strategy approach is competition, not containment. Five treaties…Japan, Philippines, Thailand, are foundational. Approach to pull in as many additional allies through layers of many multi-lateral engagements operations…like-minded nations with common values…to get asymmetric advantage…
Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO)
Hypersonics:
Lamborn:…challenges face hypersonics…need for US to field hypersonic capabilities?
Adm Aquilino: Need to go faster…concerning PRC pace and speed capabilities continue to deliver and demonstrate. Need ability to counter or exceed…in this particular lane need to go faster.
Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT)
Partnership with Australia
Courtney: Australia’s position regarding stewardship. Commitment, own sovereign control?
Adm Aquilino: Strongest partners and allies…having Australians part of program no worries…also treat other technologies with Australia’s as applies to space and cyber…No concerns for it to be successful…taking actions every day to ensure can deliver faster…
Rep. Robert Wittman (R-VA)
Challenge to Deterring PRC
Wittman: Greatest Chance deterring Chinese communist party?
Adm Aquilino: PRC whole governmental approach diplomatic, military, information, economically….I own military piece approach delivers deterrent effect…entire whole of government would be good. CHIPS act effective, ability to protect technologies is important, need to compete across entire spectrum understanding security challenge.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA)
International Partners/India:
Khanna: Strategic Relationship with India…opportunity to strengthen relationship India get thoughts?
Adm Aquilino: Value partnership with India…same primary security challenges…real northern border …continue to get pressurized by PRC. Also have the desire to operate together…[we have] common values…QUAD, not a security, its diplomatic and economic come together often to operate…continue to work to be interoperable.
Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX)
Partnership with India
Fallon: India’s importance region, what we can do to wean off on dependence of Russia, bring into fold western role?
Royal: India faces challenge…moment strategic convergence relationship with government India…whom do they buy weapons…looking to diversity operational suppliers…U.S. defense industrial base in best position…notes critical technologies…national security…all of these areas…
Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA)
Space Capabilities:
Carbajal: Increasing effects of climate change and building relationships allies partnerships…PRC building space…..maintain space superiority in INDO-PACOM AOR?
Adm Aquilino: Should deterrence fail, space critical in all domains…space, cyber, space enabler for terrestrial force…Maintain superior advantage and continue to invest…
Rep Carbajal (D-CA): Space programs, highest level of classification…believe strategic deterrence is key. Strategic deterrence only possible if deterrence known to adversaries…INDOPACOM thinking about what space programs should declassify?
Adm Aquilino: Yes do that all time…security challenge to understand what do in Space. Treat all of capabilities look at them in a way protect what need to protect…for those don’t believe to protect allow those to be seen…have to protect those things critical for US defense.
Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ)
Cybersecurity:
Kim: Concern regarding cybersecurity. A lot of opportunity to engage and build that up…is there more that we could be doing?
Adm Aquilino: Field that is needed…need to expand…responsibility goes to Gen Nakasone at USCYBERCOM…I have identified priorities and need…protecting united states networks allies.
SK and Japan engagements
Kim: South Korea and Japan…area to push on gas…help strengthen relationship but also see as security architecture.
Royal: Japan and Republic Korea operate just off water together…watching growing convergence in strategic interest.
General Notes of Additional Items/Themes Discussed in this hearing:
- Actions that we need to take to improve Taiwan’s Self-Defense capacity/capability.
- Impacts of Continuing Resolution in relation to Indo-Pacom efforts
- Role of North Korea in this region, their capabilities and relationship with Russia/PRC
- Hypersonics discussed frequently throughout the hearing at varying degrees of capacity
- Witnesses expressed need to continue to keep pace and move fast in terms of items needed in Indo-Pacom region
- In relation to allies, lots of discussions involving not just Aukus or other traditional partners, but also Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, and India (Quad Relationship)…How do we work with partners that traditionally have not been in the fold…how do we bring more allies to the table.
- The idea of explaining the threat to cooperate America/industry buy-in
- Discussions on Defense Industrial Base
- Discussions on unfunded priorities in relation to Indo-Pacific
- Unfunded priority in Guam in relation to Missile Defense
- Lessons taken from Ukraine and applying to Indo-Pacom
[End Session]
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