U.S. military supremacy is increasingly seen as vulnerable, particularly due to advancements in Chinese weaponry and changes in battlefield dynamics caused by drones. Ukraine's defense against the Russian Army exemplifies the effectiveness of low-cost, precise drone technology. The Pentagon recognizes the need to adapt, prioritizing smaller technologies over traditional assets like aircraft carriers. However, bureaucratic delays hinder rapid procurement changes, creating concerns regarding readiness for future conflicts. The shift in focus towards drone technology reflects a significant transformation in military strategy amid evolving global threats.
Since the end of the Cold War, most Americans have taken U.S. military supremacy for granted. We can no longer afford to do so, according to reporting by the staff writer Dexter Filkins. China has developed advanced weapons that rival or surpass America's; and at the same time, drone warfare has fundamentally changed calculations of the battlefield.
Ukraine's ability to hold off the massive Russian Army depends largely on a startup industry that has provided millions of drones-small, highly accurate, and as cheap as five hundred dollars each-to inflict enormous casualties on invading forces.
The nightmare scenario at the Pentagon... is, 'we've got an eighteen-billion-dollar aircraft carrier steaming its way toward the western Pacific, and [an enemy could] fire drones at these things, and they're highly, highly accurate... . To give [Secretary of Defense Pete] Hegseth credit... they say, 'O.K., we get it. We're going to change the Pentagon procurement process,' the Pentagon is so slow...
Nobody has been able to do it. Spending less on aircraft carriers and more on small technology like drones is a priority, highlighting a significant shift in military strategy.
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