Will Adm. Lisa Franchetti’s seven goals for the U.S. Navy be met on time?
As China’s military ramps up for what is a possible ready posture for a Taiwan takeover by the (PLA) The People’s Liberation Army, questions arise whether China’s military will be ready for the long-awaited reunification between Taiwan and the mainland.
Earlier this year, a Chinese nuclear attack submarine sank, which begs the question if the People’s Liberation Army’s lack of quality and its plague of corruption has created a major setback in China’s ability to meet its goals by 2027 as highlighted by U.S. Adm. John Aquilino.
The U.S. Pentagon confirmed the nuclear attack submarine docked near a pier in late May according to satellite images, and an image taken a month after displayed what looked like cranes trying to salvage something from the riverbed, as the submarine was no longer visible. Whether the submarine had nuclear fuel on board or what caused it to sink is still unclear.
According to U.S. Adm. John Aquilino, who is the head of the Indo-Pacific Command, during an Armed Services Committee earlier this year, stated that China’s (PLA) People’s Liberation Army is focused on an “aggressive military buildup” and modernization efforts.
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However, with the recent turn of events in early 2024, the perception is that the Chinese Communist Party and the PLA have not drained the corruption that plagues their military which may diminish the quality of their fighting force and military readiness as it relates to equipment and capable posture.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has progressively continued to increase their military budget year over year, with an additional ramp up of 7.2% this year alone in defense budget. However, just like tofu buildings in China, as they’re called by the netizens, corruption has a habit of siphoning resources from dedicated projects. The Chinese PLA is not immune from these practices.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military is ramping up its Naval capabilities as it becomes clear that in an effort to protect Taiwan, the U.S. military will need to obtain naval capabilities much stronger and more advanced than it possess today. A war with China over Taiwan will undoubtedly become a naval first posture for the U.S. military.
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According to Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Chief of Naval Operations, By 2027, the Navy will be better prepared for sustained combat, she added “Prioritizing the People’s Republic of China as the pacing challenge and focusing on expanding the Navy’s contribution to the Joint warfighting ecosystem.” According to a report by Matthew Loh, Business Insider.
Adm. Lisa Franchetti outlined a plan that aims to obtain 80% of the U.S. force ready to fight with an emphasis on the U.S. Navy. She acknowledges that moving forward with such urgency may deter the Chinese PLA and America’s adversaries from taking military action against Taiwan. This, as America’s adversaries take stock of U.S. Armed Forces military readiness.
Furthermore, Adm. Lisa Franchetti highlights the U.S. Navy’s significant advantages which is its combat experience. Unlike the Chinese PLA, America’s fighting forces are well trained, well equipped, and have combat experience in multiple theaters attributed to recent conflicts.
Nonetheless, the U.S. Armed Forces has an achilles, which is its bureaucratic red tape as it relates to its ability to quickly mobilize and streamline maintenance for warships and submarines in an effort to eliminate delays.
Whether this can be obtained is still to be seen, but to Adm. Lisa Franchetti, this will clearly be one of her seven goals.
 The People’s Liberation Army, questions arise whether China’s military will be ready for the long-awaited reunification between Taiwan and the mainland.){kind=link}