US Pacific bases and aircraft are wildly vulnerable to Chinese missile barrages that could overwhelm defenses, lawmakers warn

Fri, 05/10/2024 - 15:42

U.S. Air Force and Navy and Japanese air force aircraft perform a wing capabilities demonstration during a readiness exercise at Misawa Air Base, Japan, May 13, 2022.
Air Force Airman 1st Class Leon Redfern

US bases and aircraft are extremely vulnerable to Chinese missiles, American lawmakers warned in a new letter.
US Pacific bases lack sufficient passive defenses, including hardened aircraft shelters, to survive missile barrages.
In a letter to the Navy and Air Force secretaries, officials demanded "immediate changes."

US bases and aircraft in the Pacific are facing intense threat from Chinese missiles, and the Pentagon isn't doing enough to counter that challenge, according to American lawmakers.