What Happened
US Military Shifts Strategy to Counter China in Indo-Pacific
The Pentagon has doubled down on its plans to establish a forward-deployed area denial network in the First Island Chain to deter China. According to a report by Defense Under Secretary for Policy Elbridge Colby, the US military will focus on ground-based mobile missile launchers, stand-in forces, and sustainable aerial forces. The strategy aims to create a multilayered network covering strategic waterways, with the goal of deterring China through strength, not confrontation. The report was presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee as part of the 2026 National Defense Security update, as reported by USNI News.