Cook Islands is a major target for Chinese adventurism, along with other Pacific Island nations. The CCP is restoring a former US WWII airfield on another remote pacific Island. The Chinese, who may not be able to take control of world waterways quite yet, is intent on taking control of western Pacific waterways. These are all locations for the Chinese to begin stationing their massively expanding Naval fleet and fighter aircraft. Our stated goal of strenghening our western Pacific military presence to ensure that the Chinese view any WESTPAC takeover as too risky is a losing strategy. Our military budget is too small, our shipyard building capacity is too small, our Air Force programs are too weak (the F-35 program problems being exhibit A), and once we wake up the Chinese CCP will have taken over the Pacific territory without a fight. r/Karl
B-21 and F-15EX will be very useful in the Pacific. Have the boys and girls on the Gulf and Lakes start producing lower-end ships with missiles or helicopter hangers strapped to the deck. Use them to patrol around islands the Chinese rebels don't control.
The OUSVs did just fine and they are 194 feet, MDUSVs much smaller than that. Damen 6711 OPV Arialah has a flight deck for MH-60. Redesigned variant could have the deck and a hangar.
Chinese business bribes and political donations and corruption are the main vehicles for PRC expansion into smaller countries in WESTPAC.
Additionally, cultivating future political and business leadership in China's universities using all-expenses paid scholarships with Chinese "companions" had been the rage among African students and developing nations of interests to Beijing , so it was reported.
Read between the lines.
The West offered them security, morality, and self-determination on their own.
Beijing offered them fast money and "weakness of the flesh"
What a great location for not only a military presence, but a forward staging base for the Chinese illegal fishing fleet plundering the fisheries of South America.
If there is a Chinese version of CDR Sal I am sure he is pointing out to his readers how the US is surrounding China by its relationships with Japan, ROK, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines.
If we are moving toward war, I suggest Trump comes to terms with Putin over Ukraine. We could buy the Cook Islands for the amount we squander on Zelensky every week. We cannot fight the entire Eurasian landmass.
Just out of curiosity, if one were to assume that there was a no fly zone around the Cook Islands, perhaps just a declaration, or de facto by the presence of Chinese controlled surface to air missiles, what would that do to military logistics flights between U.S. and our cousins in Oz and Kiwiland?
If the concern is denial of airspace as a result of the PLA occupying the Cook Islands you would also need to take into account the expansion of that denial zone by PLAN assets based out of those same islands. Guessing the PLA & PLAN could probably enact a denial zone approximately 300nm radius centered on the islands. The question would be how sustainable an air devils zone would be.
What?! A choice other than beating the war drums (which seems prevalent here)? Man, stop talking sense. Your plan won’t line the pockets of the MIC, and we can’t stop THAT wealth transfer.
every time I see one of these map projections that feature all that water and thousands of islands, I cringe. This is why, honestly, truly, the Navy should be developing modern AIRSHIPS even the most basic bloody worthless blimp is twice as fast as a surface marine vessel, still doesn't need any runway to operate from, has virtually unlimited range and linger capability...........and that's 19th century tech.
again, we can field modern, fast, robust airships at scale, much cheaper and faster than marine ships.
It was Federated States of Micronesia that expressed interest in airships.......35 years ago. Geography remains the same, the whole of the Pacific is BIG, and need has only increased exponentially since then.
surely, somewhere, there is/are influential Navy readers of this blog who could push the idea forward? time is short
I really love that idea and deeply disappointed that nothing seems to be happening on that or the potential use of ground effect aircraft. Just seems there's a lot of ways to scale either.
Having done that flight from CA to Guam and back to a couple of times, just seems rather logical.
$5 million to buy a President that turned a blind eye to Chinese imperialism was a helluva good deal and will go down in history as the cheapest national buyout ever. But at least we got the Canal back.
Maybe we can re-route 50% of DOGE savings to shipbuilding and defense.
Recently informed that a rather substantial U.S. business is moving $50 million worth of products they have contract manufactured in China to other shores. Not an outlier. While China takes a long view, the PRC isn't exactly a "light touch" as we've all witnessed. They're giving a lot of supply chain pros here in the U.S. a compelling reason to rethink things. Credit to them on taking the long view and thinking strategically as a matter of practice but they're their actions closer to home don't always tip the balance scales in their favor. These are actions that give supply chain pros who suck down "The Pink Stuff" constantly dealing with supply chain nightmares... And Cook Island comes with a very lengthy logistical tail for the PRC.
While they may compete on cost, the additional effort to keep them in line is significant. As a project manager in a years long relationship I found them to be either dishonest, or stupid. I suppose both is an option as well. Further, the churn in personnel meant that just about the time I thought I had them squared away, I started getting the same BS from someone new.
While my experience may be unique, I doubt it. And to be fair, the experience with India was much the same, ironically on the same project which the ultimate customer, a Euro based medical and electronics business, pulled to send to a "better" assembler. Go figure. We almost had India sorted by that time though. At least for technical issues, they were still poor on getting payments sent. Apparently it's hard to move cash out of India.
India is a DEFINITLY a work in progress but I think the cards favor them over the long haul. Supply chain managers have been rebooting things since COVID. They don't appear eager to find themselves in another situation where their supply chain is far more inelastic and brittle than they thought possible.
Agree. As much a PITA as dealing with the Indians was, we did make progress and about had them sorted out. Communications was less of an issue with them as well. Their grasp of English was better and time shift for direct talks slightly better (but by no means ideal!)
While there was some thought that there might have been some dishonesty with the issues we were having, that seemed a lesser likelihood. And they did seem to learn about the product and why they were having the issues that they were. The Chinese were much slower and I sort of got the feeling they thought they new better than we did.
There was still the issue of timely payments. We had to have them on prepay before shipment when 60 days was standard. The Chinese generally paid on time until they wanted to withhold full payment for shipments when a portion was in dispute. I was very thankful to have the ultimate customer in a position to bring pressure when needed.
The USAID debacle has been further proof of my allegation that the State Department has been far beyond merely asleep for decades. They have been actively corrupt financially and programmatically for at least the past two decades and likely even further back if we were to take even a half-hearted look at all of the intel ignored and opportunities wasted. How many people in Foggy Bottom have been paid to look the other way when it was in their PRC masters' interest to do so? This is simply another example. Who the FRACK is willing to be on the diplomacy offensive in conjunction with the Commerce Department, and get some wins in the Pacific?
I am a navalist not because I think America should go to war with other nations. War is bullshit. Our lives today are not as fruitful as they should be because in the 20th century we routinely slaughtered the best and brightest of our young men. The battle of the Somme alone was a massive tragedy, and it was the curtain raiser of a century of useless murder. 58,220 of us were tossed away in rice paddies, and scores more damaged. The collateral damage of war, the ruined factories, schools, and theaters; the deal women and children is equally bad. Only Satan welcomes a war.
America needs a strong Navy because we live in an island nation. History has shown that the best way to avoid war is by being prepared to win one. Si vis pacem, para bellum. But, this beating of the war drums against China frightens me. Who benefits from war between the US and China? Russia. What nation shares a border with China and would gain security from a war-weakened China? Russia. As China and the US engage in a trade war who benefits?
That's why many of the drummers beating the drums of war with China are Putin's propagandists.
I would wager China has spent a considerable amount of time and effort identifying all the red-headed stepchildren of the U.S. and its allies. Once identified, strike a deal. Honest or dishonest in their means, it seems to be working.
Cook Islands is a major target for Chinese adventurism, along with other Pacific Island nations. The CCP is restoring a former US WWII airfield on another remote pacific Island. The Chinese, who may not be able to take control of world waterways quite yet, is intent on taking control of western Pacific waterways. These are all locations for the Chinese to begin stationing their massively expanding Naval fleet and fighter aircraft. Our stated goal of strenghening our western Pacific military presence to ensure that the Chinese view any WESTPAC takeover as too risky is a losing strategy. Our military budget is too small, our shipyard building capacity is too small, our Air Force programs are too weak (the F-35 program problems being exhibit A), and once we wake up the Chinese CCP will have taken over the Pacific territory without a fight. r/Karl
B-21 and F-15EX will be very useful in the Pacific. Have the boys and girls on the Gulf and Lakes start producing lower-end ships with missiles or helicopter hangers strapped to the deck. Use them to patrol around islands the Chinese rebels don't control.
F-15EX isn't stealthy right? So quite vulnerable to J20/J35 etc?
What's the point of a patrol? show of force like FONOPs? How will the Little boats get across the Pacific Ocean?
The OUSVs did just fine and they are 194 feet, MDUSVs much smaller than that. Damen 6711 OPV Arialah has a flight deck for MH-60. Redesigned variant could have the deck and a hangar.
B-21 should be cancelled and that money used on hypersonics & ballistic missiles like the Russian Oreshnik.
Chinese business bribes and political donations and corruption are the main vehicles for PRC expansion into smaller countries in WESTPAC.
Additionally, cultivating future political and business leadership in China's universities using all-expenses paid scholarships with Chinese "companions" had been the rage among African students and developing nations of interests to Beijing , so it was reported.
Read between the lines.
The West offered them security, morality, and self-determination on their own.
Beijing offered them fast money and "weakness of the flesh"
You guess what they'll gravitate towards.
You sure?
USAID thing going on shows most "independent" media who oppose the governments that don't align with DC policy are funded by DC lol
Good summary, whos side are you on again ? :D
Military budget size is not the problem, but how those funds are allocated is.
China isn't playing geopolitical chess. She's playing geopolitical Go. Big difference.
We in the West need to look past the next election and learn to think into the next century.
Try telling this to Schumer and his friends.
huh. John Frum is Chinese. who knew?
What a great location for not only a military presence, but a forward staging base for the Chinese illegal fishing fleet plundering the fisheries of South America.
Great point about commercial fishing. Fish are not just food but a raw material.
China is acting like a great power.
Why are we surprised or indignant?
If there is a Chinese version of CDR Sal I am sure he is pointing out to his readers how the US is surrounding China by its relationships with Japan, ROK, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines.
If we are moving toward war, I suggest Trump comes to terms with Putin over Ukraine. We could buy the Cook Islands for the amount we squander on Zelensky every week. We cannot fight the entire Eurasian landmass.
Nor the Taliban, nor the Houthi, but we give Syria to ISIS lite.
Just out of curiosity, if one were to assume that there was a no fly zone around the Cook Islands, perhaps just a declaration, or de facto by the presence of Chinese controlled surface to air missiles, what would that do to military logistics flights between U.S. and our cousins in Oz and Kiwiland?
If the concern is denial of airspace as a result of the PLA occupying the Cook Islands you would also need to take into account the expansion of that denial zone by PLAN assets based out of those same islands. Guessing the PLA & PLAN could probably enact a denial zone approximately 300nm radius centered on the islands. The question would be how sustainable an air devils zone would be.
Oz and Kiwi will reach an accommodation with the dragon.
Hopefully yes, since we are both in asia and trade with China/asia a lot.
Why should be upset our customer (of raw materials) and provider of goods that allows us to live comfortable lives?
Have each C17 escorted by an alpha strike :)
If we were to stop buying Chinese junk, could they afford their expansionist goals?
I know it would never happen for it would bankrupt Walmart. Among many others.
What?! A choice other than beating the war drums (which seems prevalent here)? Man, stop talking sense. Your plan won’t line the pockets of the MIC, and we can’t stop THAT wealth transfer.
I wonder if the MIC is starting to feel uneasy today?
Sure, but many Americans are poor, so they need Chinese goods to survive/live a comfortable life.
ALso, US isnt big customer of China anymore...
The trade DEFICIT with China last year was $295,401,600,000.
And yes, it was $382B in 2022. It's still a lot of money and that's just one country.
every time I see one of these map projections that feature all that water and thousands of islands, I cringe. This is why, honestly, truly, the Navy should be developing modern AIRSHIPS even the most basic bloody worthless blimp is twice as fast as a surface marine vessel, still doesn't need any runway to operate from, has virtually unlimited range and linger capability...........and that's 19th century tech.
again, we can field modern, fast, robust airships at scale, much cheaper and faster than marine ships.
It was Federated States of Micronesia that expressed interest in airships.......35 years ago. Geography remains the same, the whole of the Pacific is BIG, and need has only increased exponentially since then.
surely, somewhere, there is/are influential Navy readers of this blog who could push the idea forward? time is short
I really love that idea and deeply disappointed that nothing seems to be happening on that or the potential use of ground effect aircraft. Just seems there's a lot of ways to scale either.
Having done that flight from CA to Guam and back to a couple of times, just seems rather logical.
geography, physics, physiology, and psychology. constants in warfare.
$5 million to buy a President that turned a blind eye to Chinese imperialism was a helluva good deal and will go down in history as the cheapest national buyout ever. But at least we got the Canal back.
Maybe we can re-route 50% of DOGE savings to shipbuilding and defense.
Never underestimate the willingness of the Uniparty to maintain the status quo by applying another shade lipstick to the same pig.
That money is earmarked for Israel. https://stonetoss.com/
Recently informed that a rather substantial U.S. business is moving $50 million worth of products they have contract manufactured in China to other shores. Not an outlier. While China takes a long view, the PRC isn't exactly a "light touch" as we've all witnessed. They're giving a lot of supply chain pros here in the U.S. a compelling reason to rethink things. Credit to them on taking the long view and thinking strategically as a matter of practice but they're their actions closer to home don't always tip the balance scales in their favor. These are actions that give supply chain pros who suck down "The Pink Stuff" constantly dealing with supply chain nightmares... And Cook Island comes with a very lengthy logistical tail for the PRC.
Having done business with China I can say don't.
While they may compete on cost, the additional effort to keep them in line is significant. As a project manager in a years long relationship I found them to be either dishonest, or stupid. I suppose both is an option as well. Further, the churn in personnel meant that just about the time I thought I had them squared away, I started getting the same BS from someone new.
While my experience may be unique, I doubt it. And to be fair, the experience with India was much the same, ironically on the same project which the ultimate customer, a Euro based medical and electronics business, pulled to send to a "better" assembler. Go figure. We almost had India sorted by that time though. At least for technical issues, they were still poor on getting payments sent. Apparently it's hard to move cash out of India.
India is a DEFINITLY a work in progress but I think the cards favor them over the long haul. Supply chain managers have been rebooting things since COVID. They don't appear eager to find themselves in another situation where their supply chain is far more inelastic and brittle than they thought possible.
Agree. As much a PITA as dealing with the Indians was, we did make progress and about had them sorted out. Communications was less of an issue with them as well. Their grasp of English was better and time shift for direct talks slightly better (but by no means ideal!)
While there was some thought that there might have been some dishonesty with the issues we were having, that seemed a lesser likelihood. And they did seem to learn about the product and why they were having the issues that they were. The Chinese were much slower and I sort of got the feeling they thought they new better than we did.
There was still the issue of timely payments. We had to have them on prepay before shipment when 60 days was standard. The Chinese generally paid on time until they wanted to withhold full payment for shipments when a portion was in dispute. I was very thankful to have the ultimate customer in a position to bring pressure when needed.
I've not always understood the rationale of a lot of this but that's why we have MBA's to make the picture clear to the rest of us :>)
"I found them to be either dishonest, or stupid." You'll find the same in India.
On shoring and automation is the way to go.
The USAID debacle has been further proof of my allegation that the State Department has been far beyond merely asleep for decades. They have been actively corrupt financially and programmatically for at least the past two decades and likely even further back if we were to take even a half-hearted look at all of the intel ignored and opportunities wasted. How many people in Foggy Bottom have been paid to look the other way when it was in their PRC masters' interest to do so? This is simply another example. Who the FRACK is willing to be on the diplomacy offensive in conjunction with the Commerce Department, and get some wins in the Pacific?
Clinton: Corrupt.
W: Stupid.
Obama: Hates America.
45: Unprepared.
Zhou Bai Den: Bought & paid for.
47: Maybe he learned his lesson, seems better prepared this time.
(Zhou Bai Den - stolen from Aurelien's substack).
I am a navalist not because I think America should go to war with other nations. War is bullshit. Our lives today are not as fruitful as they should be because in the 20th century we routinely slaughtered the best and brightest of our young men. The battle of the Somme alone was a massive tragedy, and it was the curtain raiser of a century of useless murder. 58,220 of us were tossed away in rice paddies, and scores more damaged. The collateral damage of war, the ruined factories, schools, and theaters; the deal women and children is equally bad. Only Satan welcomes a war.
America needs a strong Navy because we live in an island nation. History has shown that the best way to avoid war is by being prepared to win one. Si vis pacem, para bellum. But, this beating of the war drums against China frightens me. Who benefits from war between the US and China? Russia. What nation shares a border with China and would gain security from a war-weakened China? Russia. As China and the US engage in a trade war who benefits?
That's why many of the drummers beating the drums of war with China are Putin's propagandists.
Just as many of the drummers beating the drums of war with Russia are Xe's propagandists.
We need to always be looking out for our own interests.
It is time for Australia to cowboy up and spend more money on their self defense.
Maybe even consider nuclear weapons build, borrow or allow US forces to station them there.
sure, how we gonna afford that mate? People can't afford homes or rents; increasing defence gonna go down real good at the next federal election...
Maybe if we taxed our natural resources.... but we sell those to China anyway, so as the skit goes "protect our trade with China, from China"...
Nukes just make us a target, like Darwin is.
I'm glad I'm in Melbourne, far far away from any US bases. YOu have them in your state mate.
I would wager China has spent a considerable amount of time and effort identifying all the red-headed stepchildren of the U.S. and its allies. Once identified, strike a deal. Honest or dishonest in their means, it seems to be working.
Sal, who’s “the PRC”? Oh. Wait. You must mean Communist China; or ChiCom, for short.
AN attitude like that is what has gotten America into this mess lol.
"Communists can't create/innovate etc."
Now, they have Huawei/BYD/Deepseek and you have to block them else they'll steal your market lol
Let's just go with West Taiwan.