The US is “ahead of the problem” of low munitions amid its war with Iran and the primary focus of the US armed forces is on creating an effective denial defense along the first island chain, US Undersecretary of Defense Elbridge Colby told the US Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday when asked about the potential implications for Taiwan.
Asked in a hearing discussing the US National Defense Strategy whether the US is making progress on industrial-based munitions and whether potential adversaries of Taiwan would feel that it would be the moment to make a move on the nation in light of reports the US is running low on munitions, Colby said that the US needs to work hard on the defense industrial base, but that “nobody should get the wrong impression” and that the US is “ahead of the problem.”
“Our president has got the will and resolve to use the American military. He’s not afraid of it,” he said.
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Regarding how the war would affect US interests in the Indo-Pacific region, Colby said that Washington would play an important role in the Middle East militarily, but with
Israel, US Gulf partners and European allies being more assertive, the US would still be able to focus on the first island chain.
“We are also focused on delivering military hard power readiness, not only to US forces, but also to allies and partners, with less focus on significant rhetorical statements,” Colby said.
Asked by US Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the committee, why the defense strategy failed to mention Taiwan specifically and instead mentioned only the first island chain, Colby said the US is focused on creating an effective denial defense along the first island chain, adding that last year’s report elaborated on that, including a reference to Taiwan.
“Hence deterring a conflict over Taiwan, ideally by preserving military overmatch, is a priority,” he said.
“We will also maintain our long-standing declaratory policy on Taiwan, meaning that the United States does not support any unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait,” he added.
Colby said that the guidelines of US President Donald Trump’s administration are to be “strong, clear, but quiet,” adding that the guidelines meant the buildup of effective denial defense along the first island chain.
The US Congress has played an important role over the past year in facilitating significant arms sales to Taiwan, and that this was an important part of the Trump administration’s policies, Colby said.
The US Department of State on Dec. 18 last year notified Congress of arms sales to Taiwan valued at about US$11.1 billion, including M109A7 self-propelled howitzers, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems tactical mission network software, equipment and services.
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